Limnodynastes dorsalis

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Limnodynastes dorsalis
Limnodynastes dorsalis Western banjo frog 2 Stirling Range NP II-2010.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Limnodynastidae
Genus: Limnodynastes
Species:
L. dorsalis
Binomial name
Limnodynastes dorsalis
Gray, 1841
Pobblebonk and motorbike frogs at Lake Seppings December 2016

The western banjo frog (Limnodynastes dorsalis) is a species of frog from the family Limnodynastidae. The informal names for this species are pobblebonk, sand frog and bullfrog. It is one of the endemic amphibians of Western Australia. [1] [2]

A large frog in the family Myobatrachidae, it has sturdy limbs and a head that is triangular. Females are up to 87 mm long, the males are no bigger than 75 mm. The frog is grey or brownish-olive coloured, with irregular blotches and marbling of a very dark or black colour. They have poisonous glands on their calves. [3] The markings are large on the upper surface and smaller at the legs and face. A wide and dark stripe appears across the eye and extends to the fore limb. The underside is pale, white or yellowish, and smooth. The upper surface is also smooth, or may be slightly warty. A large oval bump, the tibial gland, is located on the upper calf of the hind leg. The toes are very slightly webbed, the second toe is perhaps a little longer than the first. The groin area is reddish to bright red, this distinguishes the western species from the otherwise similar Limnodynastes dumerilii (eastern banjo frog). [1] [4]

The call [5] is a made by males when they are almost submerged, or in dense vegetation, this is a loud 'plonk' or 'bonk' sound. This sound is similar to a plucked banjo string, and it is from this that the common names are derived. The 'explosive' sound of the frogs calling in unison is well known in the region. [1] [6] The spawn produced after mating is located on still to slowly moving water, where it forms a large mass. This floats on the surface around grasses or other anchorages. [4]

The diet of this frog is primarily insects and worms, but it will eat anything that it can capture. [4]

The species was first described in 1841. There are twelve species of Limnodynastes found in Australia, Limnodynastes dorsalis is the only one to be found in the Southwest of the country. The species is endemic to an area surrounded by arid regions, where it became isolated by climate changes in the continent. The species is distributed throughout Southwest Australia, a biodiverse region with a mediterranean climate, where it occupies habitat near permanent water. [1] It is endemic to Western Australia. The northern part of its range is east of Kalbarri, the species also occurs in the east to the Bight and inland to arid areas. [4] [2]

The Limnodynastes dorsalis population has been vulnerable to changes in land use, but it appears to be secure from threatening factors. The introduction of dams in rural areas, or water features in suburban areas, has created habitat that is readily occupied by pobblebonks. The species is common across the southwest of the state, and are numerous around creeks and rivers. They are usually found in dense vegetation at these sites, but sometimes occupy burrows during the dry season. [6]

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A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura. The oldest fossil "proto-frog" Triadobatrachus is known from the Early Triassic of Madagascar, but molecular clock dating suggests their split from other amphibians may extend further back to the Permian, 265 million years ago. Frogs are widely distributed, ranging from the tropics to subarctic regions, but the greatest concentration of species diversity is in tropical rainforest. Frogs account for around 88% of extant amphibian species. They are also one of the five most diverse vertebrate orders. Warty frog species tend to be called toads, but the distinction between frogs and toads is informal, not from taxonomy or evolutionary history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American bullfrog</span> Species of amphibian

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<i>Limnodynastes dumerilii</i> Species of amphibian

Limnodynastes dumerilii is a frog species from the family Limnodynastidae. The informal names for the species and its subspecies include eastern or southern banjo frog, and bull frog. The frog is also called the pobblebonk after its distinctive "bonk" call, which is likened to a banjo string being plucked. There are five subspecies of L. dumerilii, each with different skin coloration. The species is native to eastern Australia. There has been one occurrence in New Zealand, when tadpoles of the species were found in 1999 and destroyed.

Banjo frog may refer to:

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant banjo frog</span> Species of amphibian

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<i>Lerista timida</i> Australian species of skink

Lerista timida, the dwarf three-toed slider or wood mulch-slider, is a species of skink found in Australia. Other common names for the species include timid slider and dwarf burrowing skink. The skink is a member of the Lerista genus which are confined to continental Australia and are mostly a burrowing species of skink. The genus consists of consists elongated, smooth-scaled, Fossorial lizards that are specialized for life in the upper soils and dry leaf litter through which they slide using Lateral undulation as a form of locomotive action, giving rise to their nickname as sliders. They normally emerge of a night-time to hunt for small Invertebrates such as ants, termites and insects. If disturbed, they dive immediately into any loose substrate to avoid predation, this behavior leaves behind a distinctive disrupted wavy track that often found on sandy flats or dunes, roads and tracks.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cogger, Harold G. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia.
  2. 1 2 "Limnodynastes dorsalis". Australian Frog Database. Frogs Australia Network. 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  3. ↑ "Western Banjo Frog" (PDF).
  4. 1 2 3 4 Browne-Cooper, Robert; Brian Bush; Brad Maryan; David Robinson (2007). Reptiles and Frogs in the Bush: Southwestern Australia. University of Western Australia Press. p. 99. ISBN   978-1-920694-74-6.
  5. ↑ Roberts, Dale (2005). "Limnodynastes dorsalis call". Australian Frog Database. Frogs Australia Network. Archived from the original on 2008-07-23. Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  6. 1 2 Hero, J-M; et al. "Limnodynastes dorsalis: Western Bullfrog". AmphibiaWeb. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
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