Limnodynastes dumerilii
Geographic Range
Southern Australia (Walker 1999).
- Biogeographic Regions
- australian
Habitat
Burrows in loamy soil in grassland or wetland and river areas (Walker 1999).
Physical Description
Pobblebonk frogs have warty skin, thick, short legs, and round heads. Ground color is dark to pale grey with dark to bronze marking on the sides. Large glands are visible at the edge of the mouth and tibia region of the leg (Walker 1999). Webbing on the toes may stretch up to 1/4 the length of the toe. Pobblebonk frogs also have prominent teeth (Latham Bathfrog 1999). Adults reach 52-83 mm in size (Walker 1999). A pale "shovel" or spade can be seen on the hind toe (ACT Herpetological Association).
- Other Physical Features
- ectothermic
- bilateral symmetry
Development
- Development - Life Cycle
- metamorphosis
Reproduction
Pobblebonk frogs emerge from burrows to breed after rain. Females lay up to 4,000 eggs in foam nest using specialized skin flaps on the fingers to move bubbles from the water surface into the nest (Walker 1999).
- Key Reproductive Features
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
Behavior
The pobblebonk frog is a burrowing frog, usually seen only after rainfall. Advertisement call is a "bonk" or banjo-like single syllable (Walker 1999)
- Key Behaviors
- motile
Food Habits
No specific information could be found on this species, but frogs normally eat insects, worms, spiders, and centipedes, and although some frogs may eat fruit, mice, or snakes, (Latham Frog 1999) it can be assumed that the Pobblebonk frog follows the typical frog diet.
Conservation Status
These frogs are often dug up by gardeners (Walker 1999). They also face habitat loss as many Australian grasslands are endangered or threatened at this time (ACT Government 1997).
-
- IUCN Red List
-
Least Concern
More information
Other Comments
The supralabial gland - the gland at the corner of the frog's mouth - contains mucous, seromucous, and granular glands. The mucous glands affect osmoregulation. The granular glands secret a rodent repelling agent (Research Report 1998).
Contributors
Vickie Woods (author), Michigan State University, James Harding (editor), Michigan State University.
Glossary
- Australian
-
Living in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea and associated islands.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
- ectothermic
-
animals which must use heat acquired from the environment and behavioral adaptations to regulate body temperature
- metamorphosis
-
A large change in the shape or structure of an animal that happens as the animal grows. In insects, "incomplete metamorphosis" is when young animals are similar to adults and change gradually into the adult form, and "complete metamorphosis" is when there is a profound change between larval and adult forms. Butterflies have complete metamorphosis, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis.
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
References
1998. "1998 Research Report - Biology of Frogs and Reptiles" (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://www.science.adelaide.edu.au/envbiol/resrep/resrep12.htm.
"ACT Herpetological Association - Limnodynastes dumerilii" (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/pub/aerg/herps/actha/limdu.htm.
ACTGovernment, 1997. "Natural temperate grassland: An endangered ecological community." (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://ww.act.gov.au/environ/actionplans/GRASLAND.html.
Latham, C. 1999. "Frogs of the Bathurst Region" (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/commerce/account/frogs/bathfrog.htm.
Latham, C. 1999. "The Somewhat Amusing World of Frogs" (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/commerce/account/frogs/frog.htm.
Walker, S., B. Hill. 1999. "Eastern Banjo Frog" (On-line). Accessed 10 December 1999 at http://www.dehaa.sa.gov.au/epa/frogcensus/dumerili.htm.