Common name: Syrian Spadefoot
Scientific name: Pelobates syriacus
Family: Pelobatidae

Size:
Body length: 5–9 cm

Identification:
A stout-bodied amphibian with smooth to slightly warty skin and relatively large protruding eyes with vertical pupils. The coloration is usually olive, grey, or brown with darker irregular blotches that provide camouflage against soil and leaf litter. A key feature is the hardened spade-like structure on the hind feet, used for burrowing underground.

Habitat:
Temporary ponds, wetlands, agricultural fields, grasslands, and semi-arid areas with loose soil suitable for burrowing.

Status in Lebanon:
Native but localized. Found in suitable wetland and agricultural habitats, especially where seasonal water bodies occur.

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

Behavior:
Primarily nocturnal and highly adapted to burrowing. Spends much of the year underground to avoid dry conditions. Emerges mainly during rainy periods and breeding season. Breeds in temporary pools where tadpoles develop rapidly before water disappears.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)

Threats:
Habitat loss, wetland drainage, agricultural intensification, pollution, and prolonged droughts.