At home on the limestone: a range extension for Neobatrachus kunapalari (Anura: Limnodynastidae) on the Nullarbor Plain

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 3 months ago

ABSTRACT – The Nullarbor Plain has long been regarded as a ‘frog-free zone’. Here, we challenge this perception by documenting the occurrence of limnodynastid frogs in six ephemeral pools spanning 117 km across the Western Australian Nullarbor Plain following a rainfall event. Morphological assessment, together with mitochondrial DNA (COI) sequencing, confirmed all individuals as Neobatrachus kunapalari. A review of historical records further revealed multiple accounts of anuran presence within the Nullarbor bioregion throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the Nullarbor Plain is not devoid of frogs and instead supports episodic anuran activity under suitable conditions. Our records also represent a notable eastern extension of the known range of N. kunapalari into the limestone karst systems of the Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia.