Spotted Marsh Frog

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Spotted Marsh Frog - Peter Robertson | Spotted Marsh Frog - Craig Cleeland | Spotted Marsh Frog - Craig Cleeland | Spotted Marsh Frog - Craig Cleeland

Limnodynastes tasmaniensis (southern call race)


Male 31-42 mm. Female 32-47 mm. A squat species with muscular hind legs and a conspicuous gland beneath the eye, extending to above the forearm.


Details
Type
Amphibian
Group
Other Common Names
Spotted Grass Frog
Biology

Breeding season: autumn, spring-summer. Females lay 80-1500 pigmented eggs within a floating foam mass.

Distinctive Markings

Adults generally have a smooth pale grey-brown dorsal surface with large olive green spots, and a yellow, red or orange mid-dorsal stripe. Moderately pointed snout and indistinct tympanum.

Taxonomy
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Amphibia
Order
Anura
Family
Limnodynastidae
Genus
Limnodynastes
Species
tasmaniensis

South-eastern and north-eastern Australia from South Australia throughout eastern Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and southern and central Queensland.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Will breed all year except during cold winter months. Tadpoles are varied in colour.


Interesting Facts
Diet

Carnivore. Insects including beetles, moths, cicadas and caterpillars, also spiders and other invertebrates.

Habitat

Wet areas, flood plains and semi-permanent water in open forests, woodlands, shrublands and grasslands. Common in farm dams. In dry periods finds shelter in cracks in the ground or under large rocks.

Native Status
Native to Australia
Audio
Audio samples
Sounds
The identifying call is a short, sharp 'click' or 'plock' regularly repeated, resembling the sound made when two stones are struck together.