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Published online 8 November 2007 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2007.231
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Toads mate across the species divide
When times are tough, some female spadefoots will lower their standards.
When the spring rains soak the western United States, two types of spadefoot toads surface from their underground burrows and converge on ponds and puddles to find a suitable mate. Male toads fill the night air with a lusty cacophony of croaks and females use the songs to zero in on a good partner.
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