Great Basin spadefoot toads are explosive breeders, with all breeding completed in a few days. There is no specific or definite breeding season, but all breeding takes place from May through August, when temperature and water availability is favorable. There is much variation in the timing of mating each year due to the nature of mating locations. Adults are terrestrial, but breeding sites are located around water sources. As a result, adults of the species must migrate to the breeding sites. These journeys typically occur at night in order to limit exposure to dangers such as evaporative water loss and predation. The factors that stimulate mating are not very well understood. Rainfall may be one of them, but is not necessary for it as is the case with other spadefoot toad species. Adults migrate anywhere from 1 to 5 km to reach breeding sites.
Males migrate to breeding sites, partially submerge near the shore, and attempt to attract females using loud calls 1 to 3 notes in length. The calls, or choruses, are reported to be monotonous duck-like snoring sounds, and may be heard over great distances. The choruses attract females, and probably other males, to the breeding pools. As females arrive, males scramble and compete to find mates. Reproduction involves amplexus, where males embrace females from behind using their forelimbs. This position allows males to externally fertilize the female eggs as they emerge from the females' cloacae. When mating is completed, the adults quickly burrow underground to avoid evaporative water loss.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Great Basin spadefoot toads are explosive breeders, with all breeding completed in a few days. There is no specific or definite breeding season, but all breeding takes place from May through August, when temperature and water availability is favorable. There is much variation in the timing of mating each year due to the nature of mating locations.
The breeding pools may be permanent or temporary sources of water, such as rain-water pools, snowmelt, ponds, irrigation ditches, and streams. Breeding is more common in ephemeral water sources in areas where it rains enough to create temporary pools, and more common in permanent water sources in areas where it does not rain enough to create temporary pools. The water must be still or slow-moving to allow breeding. In order to support metamorphosis, breeding pools must remain filled for at least 40 days to allow enough time for eggs to hatch and for larval transformation.
After mating, females lay anywhere from 300 to 1000 eggs in small clusters of 10 to 40 eggs. They attach the egg clusters to floating sticks, submerged rocks, and underwater vegetation. Eggs usually hatch within 2 to 4 days, but may take longer if water temperatures are too cold.
The size of Great Basin spadefoot toads at sexual maturity is unknown. Males mature sexually in the first 1 to 2 years after metamorphosis, while females do not sexually mature until at least the second year after metamorphosis.
Breeding interval: Great Basin spadefoot toads breed an average of once yearly if conditions are favorable.
Breeding season: Great Basin spadefoot toads will breed from May through August when conditions are favorable.
Range number of offspring: 300 to 1000.
Range time to hatching: 2 to 4 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 to 2 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (External ); oviparous
There is no parental involvement in the care for young once the eggs are laid. Females lay and attach their eggs to vegetation in bodies of water, and subsequently migrate back to feeding habitats, along with males, to replenish their energy reserves.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female)