Litoria myola
Kuranda Tree Frog
Conservation Status
Calling Period
Description
A large species of frog reaching up to 7 cm in body length. It has a grey-brown or yellow-brown back, with or without cream coloured, orange, or green patches, or brown mottling. The belly is white and the male has a grey or pale brown throat, sometimes with dark brown flecks. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold-bronze, with a distinct green crescent in the upper half. The legs and forearms are serrated on the outer side. Fingers are half-webbed and toes are nearly fully webbed, both with large discs.
Breeding Biology
Eggs are laid as a cluster attached under rocks at the bottom of streams. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 3.5 cm and are gold-brown in colour. They often remain at the bottom of water bodies and it is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to summer in the wet season.
Similar Species
Looks very similar to Litoria serrata in its distribution, but is smaller and has a different call.
Images
Photo: Stephen Mahony
Photo: Stephen Mahony
Photo: Alexandre Roux
Photo: Shane Black
Calls
By: Wise Hok Wai Lum
Distribution
Found only near Kuranda in the Wet Tropics region of QLD. It is severely threatened due to the amphibian chytrid fungus, and habitat loss and alteration due to rural development and drought. These threats are exacerbated by the small population of this species.