Javelin Frog

Litoria microbelos (Cogger 1966)

Species Info Card | Updated 1 decade ago

A tiny frog not exceeding 2 cm SVL. They have a pale brown colouration with a dark brown stripe on the sides of the head and body. They have a long pointed head and fairly long limbs. The discs on the fingers are small with only half-webbed toes.

Breeding Biology

Males call from vegetation low to the ground during rain. Spawn clumps of about 60 tiny eggs have are laid in shallow temporarily flooded areas. The tadpoles are also small and take about two months to develop.

Habitat

Found in dense tufts of low-growing grasses, and elsewhere has been found to hide during the daytime beneath large piles of rocks and logs.

Etymology

microbelos means small spear or javelin.

General

One of Australia's smallest frogs. It is likely to be more extensively distributed in the northern Kimberley other than the two known locations at present.

Kimberley region - known from Mitchell Plateau and Drysdale River N.P. Also in northern NT and Queensland.

A high-pitched soft buzz repeated frequently, similar to crickets calling.