Australian Frog Database

Australian Frogs

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Limnodynastes terraereginae

Family: Myobatrachidae
Common names: Scarlet Sided Pobblebonk; Northern Banjo Frog; Northern Bullfrog

Description: This frog has striking colours. Its back is grey or brown with darker blotches and some individuals have a stripe down their spine. There is a dark stripe that runs from the snout, through the eye to the shoulder. Below this, a slightly raised cream to reddish-orange stripe runs from under the eye to the arm. There is also a reddish-orange stripe running down the sides of the body and a red patch on the upper arms. The belly is white or pale yellow and the groin is yellow and red. The skin on the back is smooth or granular while the skin on the belly is smooth. The toes are slightly webbed.

Size: 45 mm

Habitat: This frog lives in forests, woodlands and cleared areas. They are usually found near dams, swamps and ponds that are surrounded by dense vegetation.

Call: A very short "bonk" or "dunk" sound. Like someone plucking the strings of a banjo. Call available in Windows Media or Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © David Stewart.

Breeding: Males call from holes in the banks of dams and ditches, concealed by the water. They call from October to May after rain. Females lay their eggs on the surface of still water, usually attached to vegetation.

Eggs: Are laid in a floating foam mass attached to vegetation.

Tadpoles: Are moderately large and dark brown to black in colour.

Similar species: Can resemble the Limnodynastes interioris but can be distinguished by its red groin and lack of webbing.

Conservation Information

Suspected threatening processes

• 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 >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: Trend unknown but population size suspected 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: None directed primarily at the taxon.

Reproductive potential for recovery: The average number of eggs deposited per adult female per year is >1000 eggs/female/year. Minimum age at which females are known or suspected to first reproduce is 2-3 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.