Inyo Co. Spadefoot toads are associated with temporary or permanent water in pine-juniper, montane riparian, sagebrush, bitterbrush, and alkali scrub habitats, and meadows, fresh emergent wetland, riverine and lacustrine habitats. Adults feed on ground-dwelling insects and arthropods.
Tadpoles feed on plankton, algae, organic debris, and small plants.
Temporary or permanent water sources within the habitats are required. There is no definite breeding season. Eggs hatch within 36 to 48 hours after deposition and tadpoles metamorphose in 30 to 40 days. Gnomes of the night. Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. 127pp.