The Southern toad is a native Florida amphibian that is often put at risk by one bad assumption: people think every big brown toad is an invasive cane toad.

Southern toads are common throughout Florida and usually measure about one-and-a-half to three inches long, although large individuals can exceed four inches.

They may be tan, gray, reddish brown or dark brown and have the familiar rough, warty skin people associate with toads.

The head is the best place to look.

Southern toads have noticeable raised ridges on top of the head that end in pronounced knobs behind the eyes.

Cane toads have relatively smooth heads without those strong ridges and knobs and have very large poison glands behind the eyes.

Size helps too, but it should not be the only clue.

Adult cane toads can become much larger, commonly reaching six inches or more, while native Southern toads are usually smaller.

Southern toads are nocturnal and spend daylight hours tucked into sandy burrows, leaf litter or sheltered places.

After dark they emerge to hunt insects, spiders and other small prey.

They are useful backyard predators.

Native toads help consume insects and form part of Florida's food web for snakes and other wildlife.

Like many toads, Southern toads have defensive secretions, so pets still should not be encouraged to mouth them, but they are not the same invasive pet-poisoning problem as cane toads.

Never remove a toad simply because someone called it a 'bufo.'

Compare the head ridges, gland shape and overall size first.

The Wild Suncoast clue: obvious ridges and knobs on top of the head point toward the native Southern toad.