A small species of frog reaching up to 3 cm in body length. It has a brown, grey or reddish back, with or without longitudinal stripes, spots or patches. There is often a triangular patch between the eyes. The legs have dark horizontal bars. The belly is white with small grey or black patches. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. The legs have horizontal bars. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs.
Eggs are laid singly at the bottom of shallow water in lakes or swamps. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 2.5 cm and are variable in colour, ranging from sandy gold to dark brown or grey, often with small darker patches also. Tadpoles remain on the bottom of water bodies, and take two to five months to develop into frogs. Breeds during the winter rains, with calling activity also earlier in April and afterwards in early spring.
Looks very similar to Crinia georgiana, Crinia glauerti, Crinia pseudinsignifera, and Crinia subinsignifera in its distribution, but has a different call, and lacks the bright red patches in the armpits, groin, and thighs present in Crinia georgiana.
Photo: Stephen Mahony
Photo: Jean and Fred Hort
Photo: Troy Bell
By: Dale Roberts
By: Dave Stewart
Found in southwest WA and on Rottnest Island.