The masked toad is no ordinary amphibian. Leaving aside its somewhat misleading common name – it takes a bit of imagination to detect, in the black ridges that run between its eyes, the outline of a carnival mask or superhero prop. Nevertheless, this mysterious name is far better than its scientific name, Duttaphrynus melanostictus, and has undoubtedly contributed to its fame.

And this fame is huge. Throughout Asia, from the mountains of Pakistan to the forests of Indonesia and the plains of China, the masked toad is a star. In China, the venom it secretes has been used for centuries in traditional medicine. In southern and northeastern India, in times of great drought, villagers dress these toads in imperial garb for wedding ceremonies designed to appease the rain gods.

However, in Madagascar and the Wallacea Islands, their recent arrival, hidden in bunkers and luggage, has caused panic. Opportunistic and invasive, they have begun to decimate native predators such as reptiles, birds and mammals, whose bodies are not equipped to cope with the toad's toxins. On the Wallacea Islands, there is growing concern about the future of the iconic Komodo dragon. In Australia, where another amphibian, the cane toad, has already wreaked considerable havoc, the masked toad has been added to the blacklist of species to be monitored during border inspections.

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