Slender bleating tree frog

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Slender bleating tree frog
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Litoria
Species:
L. balatus
Binomial name
Litoria balatus
Rowley, Mahony, Hines, Myers, Price, Shea, & Donnellan, 2021

The slender bleating tree frog (Litoria balatus), is a frog in the family Hylidae. It is endemic to Australia, where it is found in Queensland and the Bunya Mountains. [1] [2] [3] This is the "bleating tree frog" that occurs around Brisbane. [4]

It was long confused with the robust bleating tree frog (L. dentata) and was thus only described as a distinct species in 2021. Rowley et al (2021) distinguished three distinct clades in what was formerly considered a single species (Litoria dentata), based on genetic divergence, slight morphological differences, and notable differences in vocalizations; the latter were collected via the FrogID Australia citizen science project. One of these was the robust bleating tree frog (L. dentata sensu stricto), another was the slender bleating tree frog (L. balatus), and last was the screaming tree frog (L. quiritatus). The slender bleating tree frog has the shortest call out of the three species, has a more slender build than the other two, a white line extending down its side, and males have a distinctly black vocal sac during breeding season. [5] [6] [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Litoria</i> Genus of amphibians

Litoria is a genus of hylid tree frogs, sometimes collectively referred to as Australasian treefrogs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robust bleating tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The robust bleating tree frog, also known as Keferstein's tree frog, is a species of tree frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. This frog is endemic to coastal eastern Australia, where it ranges from northeastern New South Wales to the NSW/Queensland border. It has also been introduced to Lord Howe Island.

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

The stuttering frog is a large species of frog that inhabits temperate and sub-tropical rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littlejohn's tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

Littlejohn's tree frog, also called a heath frog or orange-bellied tree frog, is a species of tree frog native to eastern Australia from Wyong, New South Wales, to Buchan, Victoria.

<i>Assa</i> (genus)

Assa is a genus of frog in the family Myobatrachidae. These frogs are endemic to a few parts of eastern Australia.

L. dentata may refer to:

Margaret Davies is an Australian herpetologist born on 8 November 1944. She worked at the University of Adelaide studying Australian frogs, retiring in 2002. Initially appointed to a teaching post at the university, she was inspired to research frog taxonomy and their ecology from the 1970s. She identified over 30 new species of frogs during her career. She has contributed to over 120 publications.

<i>Ranoidea</i> (genus) Genus of amphibians

Ranoidea is a genus of frogs in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. They are found in Australia, New Guinea, and two nearby groups of islands: the Maluku Islands, and the Louisiade Archipelago. The circumscription of this taxon is still controversial.

Watson's tree frog, also known as the large brown tree frog or southern heath frog, is a species of tree frog endemic to south-eastern Australia.

<i>Ranoidea mira</i> Frog endemic to New Guinea

Ranoidea mira, also known as the chocolate frog, is a species of tree frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae, and is part of the Ranoidea caerulea species complex. It was discovered in New Guinea by a research team led by Griffith University.

<i>Litoria quiritatus</i> Species of frog

The screaming tree frog is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is endemic to southeastern Australia, east of the Great Dividing Range. It ranges from northeastern Victoria to the mid-coast of New South Wales, from Mallacoota north to Taree. This species is the "bleating tree frog" that occurs around Sydney, and is well known for its very loud call.

The parachuting frog, or pale-eyed parachuting tree frog, is a species of frog found in New Guinea. It is in the Nyctimystes gramineus complex with the Pinocchio frog and montane Pinocchio frog.

Litoria haematogaster, also known as the red-bellied tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It was described in 2023 by Australian herpetologist Stephen Richards and his colleagues Stephen Donnellan and Paul Oliver. The specific epithet haematogaster comes from the Greek haema (‘blood’) and gaster (‘belly’), with reference to the frog's bright red abdomen.

Litoria daraiensis, also known as the Darai Plateau tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It was described in 2023 by Australian herpetologist Stephen Richards and his colleagues Stephen Donnellan and Paul Oliver. The specific epithet daraiensis refers to the type locality.

Litoria gracilis, also known as the slender spotted tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It was described in 2023 by Australian herpetologist Stephen Richards and his colleagues Stephen Donnellan and Paul Oliver.

Litoria naispela, also known as the Crater Mountain treehole frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It was described in 2023 by Australian herpetologist Stephen Richards and his colleagues Stephen Donnellan and Paul Oliver. The specific epithet naispela is a Tok Pisin term meaning ‘beautiful’ or ‘attractive’.

Assa wollumbin, the Wollumbin pouched frog or Mount Wollumbin hip-pocket frog, is a species of small, terrestrial frog endemic to New South Wales, Australia. It is restricted to the slopes of Mount Warning (Wollumbin), where it inhabits rainforest habitat.

The Mount Ballow mountain frog is a species of frog in the family Limnodynastidae. It is endemic to eastern Australia, straddling the border of Queensland and New South Wales. It is known only from the central and western McPherson Ranges, in the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage Site.

The bleating tree frog of Australia has been split into three distinct species:

The southern stuttering frog is a large species of frog endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is found in mid-eastern New South Wales and at least formerly Victoria, where it ranges from Carrai National Park south to East Gippsland. It inhabits temperate and subtropical rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, and moist gullies in dry forests.

References

  1. Frost, Darrel R. "Litoria balatus Rowley, Mahony, Hines, Myers, Price, Shea, and Donnellan, 2021". Amphibian Species of the World, an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  2. "Litoria balatus:Rowley, Mahony, Hines, Myers, Price, Shea & Donnellan, 2021: Slender Bleating Tree Frog". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  3. Rowley JJL; Mahony MJ; Hines HB; Myers S; Price LC; Shea GM; Donnellan SC (2021). "Two new frog species from the Litoria rubella species group from eastern Australia". Zootaxa. 5071 (1): 1–41. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5071.1.1 . Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  4. Rowley, Jodi (22 November 2021). "Bleating or screaming? Two new, very loud, frog species described in eastern Australia". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  5. z3440238 (2021-11-23). "Surprise discovery of two new 'very loud' frog species". UNSW Newsroom. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  6. "Two new 'loud' frog species have been found along the east coast of Australia". Australian Geographic. 2021-11-23. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  7. "Two New Species of Tree Frogs Discovered in Australia | Sci.News". Sci.News: Breaking Science News. 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2023-08-07.