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Arroyo ToadArundo Impact Score: 10
Status: Endangered Range: Arroyo toads once occurred on 22 river basins from Monterey County (upper Salinas) to Baja CA, Mexico. They have disappeared from 75% of their former habitiat. Average size: 2-4 inches Primary food: Tadpoles feed on algae, bacteria, diatoms and aquatic insects. Adults feed on insects and arthropods. Arundo leaf litter provides little food for aquatic insects, compared to native willow and mulefat litter, which in turn impacts the feeding ability of Arroyo tadpoles. Dense stands of arundo are a barrier to toad movement. Arundo density also prevents the toads from burrowing in the sandy stream-side substrate more typically found under native willows.
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