Heleioporus albopunctatus

Conservation Status

Calling Period

Description

A large species of frog reaching up to 10 cm in body length. It has a dark maroon or brown back, with distinct white or cream spots. The belly is white and the throat is sometimes pale brown. It has a white stripe along the upper lip extending from the jaw to under the eye. The pupil is vertical and the iris is silver-grey. Fingers are unwebbed and toes slightly webbed, both without discs. Adult males have large black spines on their fingers during the breeding season.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as a foamy mass out of the water inside burrows near claypans, swamps, abandoned quarries, and shallow temporary watercourses. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 6.5 cm and are dark brown in colour, often with a gold patch behind each eye. The back colour may change from light gold to darker as the water becomes clearer. They often remain on the bottom of water bodies and escape into the water after their burrows are flooded, taking four to five months to develop into frogs. Breeds during autumn.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Heleioporus barycragus, Heleioporus eyrei, Heleioporus inornatus, and Heleioporus psammophilus in its distribution, but has distinct white or cream spots on its back.