Litoria rubella
Copyright © Hal Cogger
Litoria rubella tadpole
Copyright © Marion Anstis
Distribution map
Distribution Map of Litoria rubella
Copyright © Hal Cogger
Status
IUCN Classification:
Not listed
(International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Bioregion occurrence:
(this is not a distribution map)
- South west Australia
- Humid Arnhem-Kimberly
- Sub-humid Kimberly-Gulf
- Cape York
- Wet Tropics
- East Central Queensland
- Humid East Coast
- South-East Uplands
- Channel Country
- Eyrean Region
- Murray Darling Basin
State occurrence:
Links
- Desert Tree Frog
AmphibiaWeb page on Litoria rubella
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Litoria rubella
Family: Hylidae
Common names: Ruddy Treefrog; Red Tree Frog; Desert Tree Frog
Description: This frog varies from grey, red-brown to fawn on its back, with some darker flecks. A dark band runs from the snout, through the eye and tympanum (tight membrane covering the entrance to the ear), and down the side of the body. The groin is yellow. The backs of the thighs are brown with white flecking. The belly is white-yellow and granular. The skin on the back is smooth or has lots of tiny granules. The finger and toe pads are large. The fingers are slightly webbed and the toes are two-thirds webbed.
Size: 35 mm
Habitat: This frog lives in a range of habitats from the coastal areas through to the arid regions of Australia. It often hides beneath stones, bark, sheds and other buildings.
Call: A harsh buzzing sound like the call of seagull.Call available in 
Windows Media or 
Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © David Stewart.
Breeding: Males call during summer and autumn after rain.
Eggs: Are laid in clusters of 40 - 300 eggs in small clusters.
Tadpoles: Are medium sized and translucent with dark brown patches. As these tadpoles develop the brown patches increase in size.
Similar species: This frog can be distinguished from other species of Litoria by its distribution, colouration and call.
Conservation Information
Suspected threatening processes
- None stated
Population size: An estimate of the total number of adults present in the species entire range is >50000 individuals. 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 stable or suspected to be stable or increasing.
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: None directed primarily at the taxon.
Reproductive potential for recovery: The average number of eggs deposited per adult female per year is 51-200 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: > 1,000,000 km².
Distribution trend: Area occupied is stable or has increased. (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.