Bumpy Rocket Frog

Litoria inermis

A small to medium-sized (to 3.5 cm), elongate ground-dwelling frog with a prominent and elongate head, long fingers with no webbing and small terminal discs, and moderately long hindlegs with incompletely webbed toes. The back is brown and mottled with irregular patches of dark brown. Pale yellow markings on the thighs are diffuse. There is a distinct white patch at the angle of the jaw. The skin on the back is coarsely tubercular, hence the common name.

Breeding

Males call from open areas near water at the onset of the wet season. Eggs are laid in temporary pools where there is little or no emergent vegetation.

Call

A loud high-pitched beeping note repeated frequently - 'meep...meep...meep'. Males have complex calls with intermittent 'chucks'.

Eggs

Approximately 100-300 eggs are laid on the surface of the water.

Tadpoles

Tadpoles are mottled brown and can be as large as 4 cm.

Other Notes

The specific name inermis means unarmed or without weapons. This is in reference to a lack of a sharp inner metatarsal tubercle that most burrowing forms usually have. At the time of description in the 19th century the Bumpy Rocket Frog was incorrectly believed to be a burrower and related to Cyclorana which possesses sharp tubercles.