A toad found in a state forest in Connecticut startled researchers in the field because it had no face.

The amphibian, an adult American toad, was hopping into the researchers’ feet and other objects repeatedly while they were collecting information about newts. Jill Fleming, a herpetologist and student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, took notice. She and her colleagues took a closer look at the toad, and they were surprised to see that its eyes, nose, jaw, and tongue were completely missing.

She says the reason why the toad is missing its face is a mystery, though there are a few possible explanations.

“My initial thought, which I still believe is a likely explanation, was that the extensive injury