Anaxyrus boreas (Boreal Toad)
Credit: Ian Wang
about the species
The boreal toad represents a clade with several species of conservation concern. The boreal toad itself (Anaxyrus boreas) is a widespread and easily recognized species across western North America. It is closely related to the iconic Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus), which is a federally-listed endangered species, the black toad (Anaxyrus exsul), listed as a vulnerable species due to its tiny range in Deep Springs Valley (CA), and the Amargosa toad (Anaxyrus nelsoni), another endangered species with a restricted range in the Amargosa Desert (NV).
why species was selected
All of these species, including the boreal toad, are threatened with population declines due to habitat loss and climate change. Additionally, with few frog and amphibian genomes sequenced so far, the addition of this genome will greatly extend the resources available to amphibian researchers.
