Australian Frog Database

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Litoria olongburensis

Family: Hylidae
Common names: Wallum Sedge Frog; Olongburra Frog; Sharp-snouted Reed Frog

Description: This frog is light brown to dark green on its back. It has a narrow head and a pointy snout. There is a dark head stripe that broadens after the eye, through the tympanum (tight membrane covering the entrance to the ear), and breaking up into spots down the side of the body. Below this dark stripe a cream-white streak runs from under the eye and down the side. The belly is cream and coasely granular. The throat is cream with brown flecks and is finely granular. The tympanum is brown. The fingers are slightly webbed and the toes are moderately webbed.

Size: 25 mm

Habitat: This frog lives in marshes and swamps with lots of vegetation. Often the water is acidic and tannin-stained.

Call: A high pitched "creek…crik" sound.Call available in Windows Media or Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © David Stewart.

Breeding: Males call in spring and summer, especially after rain.

Eggs: Are attached to grasses and sedges.

Tadpoles: Are small and dark purple-brown with darker mottling. Sometimes a blue sheen is visible along the side of the body.

Similar species: This frog can be distinguished from other species of Litoria by the combination of its brown tympanum, brown flecked throat and cream-white streak.

Conservation Information

Suspected threatening processes

• Direct human impact/urbanisation/tourism
• Inappropriate catchment management, including degraded water quality
• Disease/pathogens (e.g. chytrid fungus, viruses)
• 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 size known to be decreasing.

Knowledge of population trend in Australia: Monitored locally.

Population concentration: Not known to concentrate or exist in discrete 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: 1001-80000 km² (up to 1% area of Australia or about the area of Tasmania).

Distribution trend: Area occupied has declined by 25-74%. (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: Distribution is well known and occurrence can be accurately predicted throughout the range.

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.