Litoria peronii - Species Profile

Call recorded by Jodi Rowley

Call recorded by Richard Major

Calling Period

Jan: yes
Feb: yes
Mar: yes
Apr: possible
May: possible
Jun: possible
Jul: possible
Aug: yes
Sep: peak
Oct: peak
Nov: peak
Dec: peak

Photos

Photo: Jodi Rowley
Photo: Stephen Mahony
Photo: Thomas Parkin
Photo: Dane Trembath

Description

A large species of frog reaching up to 7 cm in body length. It has a grey or light brown back, with or without darker mottling, and several to many tiny emerald-green spots. There is a thin black line along the skin fold from behind the eye to the top of the arm. The belly is cream coloured, and the male has a yellow throat. The pupil appears crossed-shaped and the iris is silver. The thighs are bright yellow, with black patches. Fingers are half webbed and toes are fully webbed, both with large discs.

Habitats

Occurs in many different habitats types including farmland, open woodland, wet and dry sclerophyll forest, grassland and even suburban areas.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid in small groups or singly, and attached to twigs or vegetation under the surface of the water in dams, ponds, creek pools, swamps, and even in abandoned swimming pools. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 8.5 cm and are gold in colour, with three dark longitudinal stripes. They often swim near the surface of water bodies and take around three to four months to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to summer after rain.

Similar Species

Looks very similar to Litoria rothii and Litoria tyleri in its distribution, but Litoria rothii has no emerald-green spots on its back and has red in the upper half of the iris, while Litoria tyleri lacks a thin black line along the skin fold from behind the eye to the top of the arm. Litoria tyleri is also more slender in shape, has more yellow between the fingers and toes, and all over the body in the case of males in breeding season. Litoria tyleri also has less black and yellow marbling in the armpit and less black patterning at the back of the thigh, and has generally smoother skin.