cane toad

The 'cane toad' is a notorious example of an invasive species, originally introduced to control pests but has caused ecological harm in regions like Australia.

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Definition

B2Biology

(technical)A large, terrestrial toad native to Central and South America, known for its toxic skin secretions and scientific name Rhinella marina.

Example

  • The cane toad secretes toxins that can be harmful to predators.

B2Ecology

(technical)An invasive species introduced to regions like Australia to control pests, but has since become a problematic pest itself.

Example

  • Cane toads have significantly disrupted local ecosystems in Australia.

C1Slang

(informal, derogatory, Australia)A derogatory term used to refer to a person from Queensland, Australia.

Example

  • He called his friend a cane toad during their heated argument.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "cane toad":

rain froghorned toadgiant froggreen frogstick frogsea toadedible froggreen tree frogbush froghorned frogpainted frognight frog