Uperoleia borealis

Conservation Status

Calling Period

Description

A small species of frog reaching up to 3 cm in body length. It has a brown back, with dark brown patches and often a thin, orange longitudinal line along the middle. There is sometimes a small, pale brown-yellow or pale pink stripe from the edge of the mouth to the arm. The belly is white with pale pink, and the male has a dark grey throat. The pupil is horizontal, and the iris is gold. The legs sometimes have horizontal bars. The groin and the backs of the thighs are bright red. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are half webbed, both without discs. The parotoid glands are large and sometimes pale orange-brown.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid singly and attached to vegetation under the surface of the water in temporary ponds, creeks, and flooded drainage lines. 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. It is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs. Breeds during summer in the wet season.

Similar Species

Looks very similar in its distribution to Uperoleia mjobergii but lacks distinct pairs of nearly symmetrical brown patches between the eyes, and on the middle and lower back; to Uperoleia crassa, which has a different thigh colour and is bigger; to Uperoleia micra, which is smaller; and to Uperoleia aspera, Uperoleia lithomoda and Uperoleia minima, all of which have different calls. Also looks similar to Uperoleia stridera, which has rougher skin.