Common Sunda Toad vs Scarlet Macaw

Duttaphrynus melanostictus compared with Ara macao

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Sunda Toad	Scarlet Macaw
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Anura (Frogs & Toads)	Psittaciformes (Parrots)
Family	Bufonidae	Psittacidae (True Parrots)
Genus	Duttaphrynus	Ara (Macaws)
Species	Duttaphrynus melanostictus	Ara macao

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Sunda Toad and Scarlet Macaw share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

Conservation Status

Common Sunda Toad

LC — Least Concern

Scarlet Macaw

LC — Least Concern

Population: ~50.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Sunda Toad	Scarlet Macaw
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	50 years
Average Length	—	85 cm
Average Weight	—	1.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Sunda Toad

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Madagascar), Asia (4 countries), and Europe (Spain).

Scarlet Macaw

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela). Population trends indicate a declining trajectory in parts of its range.

Common Sunda Toad

<em>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</em>, the common Sunda toad, is an amphibian in the family Bufonidae, order Anura. It has a wide natural distribution across South and Southeast Asia, ranging from Pakistan and India through to southern China, the Malay Peninsula, and the Indonesian archipelago, and has also been introduced to Madagascar. The species typically inhabits a broad range of environments including urban areas, agricultural land, forest edges, gardens, and disturbed habitats, demonstrating remarkable adaptability to human-modified landscapes. <em>Duttaphrynus melanostictus</em> is characterized by prominent parotoid glands behind the eyes that secrete toxic compounds serving as a defense against predators, a feature shared with other true toads. It is an opportunistic carnivore, feeding on a variety of invertebrates including insects, worms, and small arthropods. Biological traits including average lifespan under natural conditions, typical body measurements, and specific breeding parameters remain poorly documented. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its extensive range and high tolerance for habitat modification, though introduced populations in Madagascar represent a potentially invasive concern.

Scarlet Macaw

One of the most brilliantly colored birds in the Americas, scarlet macaws display vivid red, yellow, and blue plumage with wingspans reaching 1 meter. Found in humid lowland forests from Mexico to Bolivia, they are highly intelligent, long-lived — up to 75 years — and form lifelong pair bonds. They travel long distances to clay licks where they consume mineral-rich soil to detoxify seeds. Listed as Least Concern but locally threatened by habitat loss and the pet trade.