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Uperoleia daviesae

Howard Springs Toadlet

Conservation Status

EPBC:

Vulnerable

IUCN:

Endangered

Calling Period

Possible
Yes
Peak
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Description

A small species of frog reaching up to 2.5 cm in body length. It has a grey or grey-brown back, with darker patches and sometimes a thin, orange longitudinal line along the middle. There is also sometimes a small, pale brown-yellow or white stripe from the edge of the mouth to the arm. The belly is pale pink with white specks; the male has a dark grey throat. The pupil is horizontal, and the iris is silver. The legs sometimes have horizontal bars. The groin and the backs of the thighs are bright orange or red. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are slightly webbed, both without discs. The parotoid glands are large, and sometimes pale orange-brown.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid singly under the surface of the water and attached to vegetation in shallow pools and drainage lines in flooded grassland. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to nearly 4 cm and are dark 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 to Uperoleia crassa and Uperoleia lithomoda in its distribution, but is generally smaller and has smaller parotoid glands.

Images

Photo: Dane Trembath

Photo: Dane Trembath

Photo: Ryan Francis

Photo: Dane Trembath

Calls

By: Dane Trembath

By: Dane Trembath

By: Dane Trembath

Distribution

Found only in the Howard Springs area of the NT.

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