Stuttering Frog
Encyclopedia
The Stuttering Frog is a large species
of frog
that inhabits temperate and sub-tropical rainforest
and wet sclerophyll
forest
in Australia
.
, to the Cann River catchment in eastern Victoria
and covered an area of approximately 110 000 km². Populations south of Sydney
have declined dramatically and the Victorian populations are believed to be extinct. It has also disappeared from a number of sites in NSW where it was once common. It occurs at altitudes between 20 m and 1400 m. In the north of its range the species occurs only at high altitudes while in the south both upland and lowland populations have been recorded.
and diffuses laterally to merge with a pale yellow
on the ventral surface. An irregular shaped blotch starts between the eyes and finishes mid-dorsal and may be broken up. There is a dark head stripe that starts before the nostril as a triangle, it then continues from the nostril
to the eye
, then from the eye over the tympanum
and finishes over the shoulder. The tympanum is slightly oval shaped and distinct. The iris
is light blue
, diffusing into gold
above the pupil
and dark brown below. The 4-6 bars on the hind limbs are pale and indistinct. Toes are three quarters webbed and fingers are free from webbing.
forests. The call is a "kook kook kook kra-a-ak kruk kruk" - lasting one to two seconds. The male calls while next to the stream, often on leaf litter, and spawn is deposited in dug-out, gravel nests in shallow, flowing water. Tadpoles usually reach 65 mm but may be up to 80 mm in length. Tadpoles are dark brown or black with large spots and flecks on the tail
. Metamorphosis may take 15 months and the metamorphs closely resemble the adults, but have less distinct dorsal pattern and a rusty red iris.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
that inhabits temperate and sub-tropical rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
and wet sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Distribution
This frog's historical distribution ranged from the Timbarra River near Drake in northern New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, to the Cann River catchment in eastern Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and covered an area of approximately 110 000 km². Populations south of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
have declined dramatically and the Victorian populations are believed to be extinct. It has also disappeared from a number of sites in NSW where it was once common. It occurs at altitudes between 20 m and 1400 m. In the north of its range the species occurs only at high altitudes while in the south both upland and lowland populations have been recorded.
Physical description
This frog can reach up to 80 mm in length. Its dorsal surface is brownBrown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
and diffuses laterally to merge with a pale yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
on the ventral surface. An irregular shaped blotch starts between the eyes and finishes mid-dorsal and may be broken up. There is a dark head stripe that starts before the nostril as a triangle, it then continues from the nostril
Nostril
A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates, whose function is to warm air on inhalation and remove moisture on exhalation...
to the eye
Eye
Eyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
, then from the eye over the tympanum
Tympanum (zoology)
The tympanum is an external hearing structure in animals such as frogs, toads, insects, and mammals, to name a few.-Anurans:In frogs and toads, it is located just behind the eye. It does not actually process sound waves; it simply transmits them to the amphibian's inner ear, which is protected...
and finishes over the shoulder. The tympanum is slightly oval shaped and distinct. The iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
is light blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
, diffusing into gold
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
above the pupil
Pupil
The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the retina. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the tissues inside the eye. In humans the pupil is round, but other species, such as some cats, have slit pupils. In...
and dark brown below. The 4-6 bars on the hind limbs are pale and indistinct. Toes are three quarters webbed and fingers are free from webbing.
Ecology and behaviour
Flowing spirits of the river of the Earth, can be heard around this species of wonderful blubbering frogs. This species is associated with flowing creeks and streams in temperate and sub-tropical rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest and Antarctic BeechNothofagus moorei
Nothofagus moorei, is an important Gondwana relict of the rainforests of the southern hemisphere. It occurs in wet, fire free areas at high altitude in eastern Australia....
forests. The call is a "kook kook kook kra-a-ak kruk kruk" - lasting one to two seconds. The male calls while next to the stream, often on leaf litter, and spawn is deposited in dug-out, gravel nests in shallow, flowing water. Tadpoles usually reach 65 mm but may be up to 80 mm in length. Tadpoles are dark brown or black with large spots and flecks on the tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
. Metamorphosis may take 15 months and the metamorphs closely resemble the adults, but have less distinct dorsal pattern and a rusty red iris.