Australian Frog Database

Australian Frogs

Australian Frog Database

Frog Bioregions Map

Full list of Australian Frogs

Frequently Asked Questions

Frog Resources

Frog Sounds

Frog Field Guides

Frog Books

Download Melbourne Field Guide

Frog Pictures

Links

Litoria brevipalmata

Family: Hylidae
Common name: Green Thighed Frog

Description: This frog is chocolate brown on its back with black flecks. A dark stripe runs from the snout, through the eye and tympanum (tight membrane covering the entrance to the ear), breaking up into blotches down the side of the body. The upper lip has a white edge which continues to the base of the arm. The sides of the body are yellowish with black flecks. The groin and the backs of the thighs are bright blue, green or blue-green with black spots. The belly is granular and white or yellow. The skin on the back is smooth to slightly granular. The finger and toe pads are medium sized, and the toes are one-third webbed.

Size: 40 mm

Habitat: This frog lives in rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests.

Call: A series of "quack" or "wok" sounds. Call available in Windows Media or Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © David Stewart.

Breeding: Occurs after summer rains. Males often call from the edges of temporary water bodies.

Eggs: Are laid in a single layer at the water's surface, amongst vegetation.

Tadpoles: Are small and dark brown or black in colour. These tadpoles hover head-up and tail down in the water column.

Similar species: The groin and thigh colouration distinguish this species from all others.

Conservation Information

Suspected threatening processes

• Direct human impact/urbanisation/tourism
• Inappropriate catchment management, including degraded water quality
• Habitat modification (e.g. vegetation clearing, invasive weeds)

Population size: An estimate of the total number of adults present in the species entire range is 10001-50000 individuals, or size is unknown but suspected to be large. Some factors affecting population size and distribution are known, but 1 or more major factors are unknown.

Population trend in Australia over the past 50 years: Population trend unknown; no information on habitat changes.

Knowledge of population trend in Australia: Monitored locally.

Population concentration: Majority concentrates at more than 25 locations. (e.g. the number of sites in which individuals group together either seasonally, such as breeding sites, or they may occupy discrete habitat patches within the broader landscape, such as discrete water bodies or drainage units.)

Ongoing management activities in Australia: Management mostly related to enforcement of conservation laws.

Reproductive potential for recovery: The average number of eggs deposited per adult female per year is 201-1000 eggs/female/year. Minimum age at which females are known or suspected to first reproduce is <2 years.

Range size in Australia: The size of the geographic area over which the taxon is distributed: 80,001-1,000,000 km² (up to 12% area of Australia or about the area of South Australia).

Distribution trend: Decline, if any, unknown. (This is an estimate of change in the portion of the total range that is occupied or utilised; it may not equal the change in total range.)

Knowledge of distribution in Australia: Broad range limits or habitat associations are known, but local occurrence cannot be predicted accurately.

References

Anstis, M. 2002. Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Barker, J., G.C. Grigg and M.J. Tyler. 1995. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons: Chipping Norton.

Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. Reed Books: Sydney.

Robinson, M. 2002. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia. Australian Museum/Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Swan, G. 2001. Green Guide to Frogs of Australia. New Holland: Sydney.