Cane Toad vs Coastal Ragweed

Rhinella marina compared with Ambrosia hispida

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cane Toad	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Bufonidae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Rhinella	Ambrosia
Species	Rhinella marina	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

Cane Toad

LC — Least Concern

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cane Toad	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cane Toad

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 5 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Egypt, Mauritius), Asia (Japan, Philippines, Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), North America (11 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (8 countries), and South America (Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela).

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Cuba.

Cane Toad

The Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) is a species in the genus Rhinella. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, among 5 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in monta

Coastal Ragweed

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.