Lightning Toad

One of the rarer creatures found in Isturoth, the Lightning Toad can be found in the valleys and ravines of the Ironstone Mountains. They are so named because of the electrical impulses they are capable of producing.
They can create a mild electrical discharge in order to communicate information to other toads, to warn off predators or to attract a mate. When two of these electrically-charged toads meet, they are known to tweak their wavelengths in order to allow each other to produce similar levels of voltage. At their voltage, it is also possible to stun prey such as small fish, crustaceans and insects.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Lightning toads appear identical to any other toads; their hides are warty and tough and they have a mouth full of tiny teeth. The glands within the toad that allow the generation of electrical discharges allow them to transmit the electricity through their bite and through small organs that run down their back.

Biological Traits

The most unique biological trait of the lightning toad is its ability to produce static discharges through the use of electrified nerve cells. These charges are given off through organs on the toad's back, as well as through the toad's bite.

Growth Rate & Stages

Once they have mated, the toads produce their spawn in ponds and lakes, quiet bodies of water that are not likely to be disturbed. The toads will then leave for other bodies of water. After a time, the eggs hatch, however the tadpoles must then fend for themselves.
Feeding on algae and insects, the tadpoles mature as their arms and legs sprout and their tails drop off. The juvenile toads will remain in the same body of water until they have matured enough that they can produce their own electrical discharges.

Ecology and Habitats

Lightning toads are not especially keen on the low temperatures and dry air of the upper frostlands. They prefer to keep to the streams and lakes of the highlands and lowlands where they can more easily maintain their moisture.