Cophixalus hosmeri

Conservation Status

Calling Period

Description

A small species of frog reaching up to 1.5 cm in body length. It has a pale brown or dark brown back, with or without darker mottling. There is sometimes a dark horizontal stripe between the eyes, and a dark V-shaped or W-shaped marking on the upper back. There is may be a pale cream-coloured, yellow, or orange longitudinal stripe along the middle of the back, and pale yellow eye-spots on the lower back. The belly is yellow or grey-brown. The pupil is horizontal and outlined with a red ring; the iris is gold or dark brown. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both with large discs. The first finger is very short compared to the rest.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as a small cluster connected by a thin jelly string on land under leaf litter and vegetation. The nest is guarded by the male, as it is with other Cophixalus species. Tadpoles never swim in water; instead they develop entirely inside the egg and hatch as little frogs. It is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs, but Cophixalus ornatus eggs have been recorded taking 28 days to hatch. Breeds during spring to summer after rain.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Cophixalus aenigma, Cophixalus bombiens and Cophixalus monticola in its distribution, but has a different call, lacks the distinct black stripe along the side present inCophixalus bombiens, and is smaller than Cophixalus monticola.