Giant burrowing frog
Giant burrowing frog | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Limnodynastidae |
Genus: | Heleioporus |
Species: | H. australiacus
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Binomial name | |
Heleioporus australiacus | |
Range of the giant burrowing frog | |
Synonyms[2] | |
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The giant burrowing frog
Description
This is a large species of frog, up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length. It is normally grey, dark brown or black on the back. It is white on the belly. There are yellow spots on the side and a yellow stripe on the upper lip, from the back of the eye to the back of the tympanum. In
This is quite a large species of frog and the largest frog in Victoria. It is often mistaken for the cane toad because of its large size and bumpy skin; however, cane toads do not have vertical irises, and the range of the cane toad currently does not overlap into giant burrowing frog habitat.
Ecology and behaviour
This species inhabits sandstone heathland, dry, and also wet sclerophyll forest from north of Sydney to eastern Victoria. They are called burrowing frogs because of their burrowing ability.
Males call from burrows on the edges of creeks during autumn and spring, usually after heavy rainfall.[3] The call of the giant burrow frog is very low-pitched "ou-ou-ou-ou-ou", somewhat resembling that of an owl (hence the name), and only lasts one or two seconds. The spines on the males' fingers may be used for fighting.[5]
The female lays between 750 and 1250 un
These frogs are difficult to find, and best seen at night after thunderstorm activity in the summer or after substantial rainfall.[6]
Conservation
This species has declined due to urbanisation and is mostly restricted to national parks and state forests.[6]
Its status was last assessed by the
Since July 2000 the frog has been as vulnerable under the Commonwealth
Captive breeding program
After a population of frogs was located by a
References
- ^ . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b Frost, Darrel R. (2023). "Heleioporus australiacus (Shaw and Nodder, 1795)". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
- ^ a b Heleioporus australiacus (Giant Burrowing Frog) (PDF) (Consultation Document on Listing Eligibility and Conservation Actions). Canberra, Australia: Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. 2020. 33.
- National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales) (NPWS). Giant burrowing frog (PDF) (Report). Archived from the original(PDF) on 18 July 2005.
- ^ a b Black, Dave. "Heleioporus australiacus: Giant Burrowing Frog". Frogs of Australia. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT). Australian Government. Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Archived from the original on 31 March 2021. Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU)licence.
- ^ Cook, Mim (31 March 2021). "Rare giant burrowing frog in world-first captive breeding program at Melbourne Zoo". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
Further reading
- Anstis, M. 2002. Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney.
- Frogs Australia Network-frog call available here
- Robinson, M. 2002. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia. Australian Museum/Reed New Holland: Sydney.
External links
- Data related to Heleioporus australiacus at Wikispecies