Ranoidea wilcoxii

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Stony-creek frog
Litoria wilcoxi female.jpg
Ranoidea wilcoxii (female)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Ranoidea
Species:
R. wilcoxii
Binomial name
Ranoidea wilcoxii
Günther, 1864
Litoria wilcoxi distrib.PNG
Distribution of Ranoidea wilcoxii
Synonyms
  • Litoria wilcoxiiGünther, 1864
  • Hyla kinghorniLoveridge, 1950
  • Hyla vinosaLamb, 1911

Ranoidea wilcoxii is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. [2] Also known as the stony-creek frog, [3] eastern stony creek frog, [4] and Wilcox's frog, [5] it is endemic to Australia, being found solely on the eastern coast between Ingham, QLD, and Sydney, NSW, and as far west as Atherton, QLD. [3] Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, and pastureland. [1]

Contents

Description

Ranoidea wilcoxii shows extreme sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females have different appearances. Females can reach a length of up to 70 mm (2.8 inches) and males 45 mm (1.8 inches). Individuals are a smooth brown in colour with speckling and blotching in the groin. A thick black stripe extends from the nostril to the base of the forearm, encompassing the eye and tympanum The lower underside and groin can be from a light yellow to olive green, tending more often towards a beige brown. The thighs will reflect this colouration, though more brightly. Females fit this description year-round, but males turn a bright yellow to yellow-orange during mating season. As with most members of the genus Litoria , they have climbing discs on their fingers and toes. [3]

The stony creek frog's snout is very useful in the wild. It enables it to stay low underwater so it can stay away from predators. The snout acts as a ventilation system. When swimming underwater, the snout will stick slightly above the water so it can breathe.

Male L. wilcoxii L wilcoxi.jpg
Male L. wilcoxii

Reproduction

Males call with a very soft purring from debris such as rocks, vegetation or the ground immediately next to the water body. [3]

Once the female has located the male, the pair will enter amplexus. Eggs will be laid in a single submerged cluster attached to a sediment. [3]

Threats

It is threatened by habitat loss, destruction of its native environment, in particular spawning locations, is leading to a decline in the number of this species. As with a great variety of Australian frog species, chytridiomycosis poses great threats to the future of this species, with some locales experiencing 28% infection rate. [6]

Taxonomy

This species is almost identical physiologically to Lesueur's frog (Ranoidea lesueuri), and is identical physiologically to R. jungguy . It can be distinguished from Lesueur's frog by the presence of blue spots on the thigh, which are missing in R. wilcoxii. Geographical distribution and genetic testing are the only methods of differentiating R. wilcoxii from R. jungguy.

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References

  1. 1 2 Stuart, Simon (2006). "Litoria wilcoxii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2006: e.T61788A12545407. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2006.RLTS.T61788A12545407.en .
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Litoria wilcoxii Günther, 1864". Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Ryan, Michelle (2007). Wildlife of Greater Brisbane. Brisbane: Queensland Museum. p. 219. ISBN   978-0-9775943-1-3.
  4. Hines, Harry B. "Litoria wilcoxii - eastern stony creek frog". Queensland Government Wetlandinfo. Queensland Government. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  5. Deane, Lewis. "Wilcox's Frog or Stony Creek Frog". Australian Frogs Gallery. dl.id.au. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  6. "Litoria wilcoxii". AmphibiaWeb. 2004. Retrieved 2012-11-30.