Venomous Rafter Toad

The Venomous Rafter Toad (Bufo cantheri) is a amphibian which has adapted to living not in a pond or burrow, but in human-built structures' roofing. They are characterised by a bluish skin and dorsal spines. As toads go, they can become fairly large under fortunate circumstances. Typical of amphibians, they, and are rarely found in Transylvania unless the building in which they reside is well-heated throughout the year, such as may be typical of indoor steam-driven engines. Heat rises, and the rafters of one of these steam-heated structures is well-suited to the average toad's well-being.

It is not known whose laboratory first hatched these toads.

Possibly Relevant Outside Information
True toads are widespread and occur natively on every continent except Australia and Antarctica, inhabiting a variety of environments, from arid areas to rainforest. True toads are toothless and generally warty in appearance and have a pair of parotoid glands on the back of their heads. These glands contain an alkaloid poison which the toads excrete when stressed. The poison in the glands contains a number of toxins causing different effects. Bufotoxin is a general term, different animals contain significantly different substances and proportions of substances. Some, like the cane toad Bufo marinus, are more toxic than others.