Poyntonophrynus vertebralis is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in South Africa, Lesotho, and possibly Botswana and southeastern Zimbabwe. It has many common names: pigmy toad, pygmy toad, flat toad, African dwarf toad, and southern pygmy toad.
Its natural habitats are Nama karroo shrubland, grassland, dry savanna, and pastureland. It is a locally common species that breeds in various small waterbodies (temporary shallow pans, pools or depressions containing rainwater, quarries, and rock pools along rivers). It is locally threatened by habitat loss.