Common name: Dhofar Toad
Scientific name: Firouzophrynus dhufarensis
Family: Bufonidae

Size:
Body length: 6–10 cm

Identification:
A medium-sized, stout-bodied toad with finely warty skin. The coloration is typically olive-brown with darker mottling, providing camouflage in rocky and vegetated habitats. It has prominent parotoid glands behind the eyes that secrete mild toxins. The body is compact with relatively short limbs, and the eyes are large with horizontal pupils.

Habitat:
Dry wadis, gravel plains and rocky mountain slopes, breeding in seasonal pools after rain. In the dry months it shelters deep in rock crevices or damp burrows. In Dhofar it also lives in the monsoon fog belt.

Status in the Region:
Endemic to southern Arabia, from Dhofar and Yemen to the Hajar Mountains of Oman and the UAE. In the UAE it is confined to the Hajar Mountains and nearby gravel plains where water is available, and is one of only two amphibians in the country, with the Arabian Toad. Mostly nocturnal and easily missed in the dry months, it appears in numbers after the first rains to spawn in seasonal pools.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on insects, worms, and other small invertebrates.

Behavior:
Nocturnal and seasonally active, especially during the khareef (monsoon) season. Males gather in groups near temporary pools and produce rhythmic calls to attract females. Spends dry periods hidden in moist refuges. Plays an important ecological role in controlling insect populations.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)