| Smooth toadlet | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Myobatrachidae |
| Genus: | Uperoleia |
| Species: | U. laevigata |
| Binomial name | |
| Uperoleia laevigata Keferstein, 1867 | |
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| Range of the smooth toadlet | |
The smooth toadlet (Uperoleia laevigata) is a species of Australian ground-dwelling frog native to the coast and west of the ranges of south-east Queensland, all of eastern New South Wales and north-eastern Victoria.
The smooth toadlet reaches 35mm in length. It is grey-brown to olive-brown above often with darker spots and blotches. There is normally a pale triangular patch on the head in front of the eyes and a pale yellow patch in the armpit. It has prominent parotoid glands. Its belly is white and there is a red patch in the thighs.
This frog is associated with dry forest, sclerophyll forest and cleared grassland/farmland along the coast, slopes and ranges. Males make a drawn out "arrrrk" call from around the breeding site, this can be anything from a large permanent dam to a flooded ditch or grassland. Calling males can be right at the waters edge to up to 20 metres away. Calling occurs from spring to autumn. After heavy rain many of these frogs may breed in one or two weeks, when in drier times the breeding site may appear absent of this species.
This species is very similar to two other Uperoleia species, the dusky toadlet, (Uperoleia fusca) and the Tyler's toadlet, (Uperoleia tyleri). There are however some ways to tell them apart.
The smooth toadlet has a white belly, occasionally with a few spots of black, while the dusky toadlets belly is white with many dark spots and flecks, almost covering the entire ventral surface, the Tyler's toadlet has a fully pigmented underbelly of dark blue/black colour. Male smooth toadlets may have a dark throat, however the belly will still be white.
In all three of these species there is a red/orange/yellow patch in the thigh, back of legs and behind the knee. In the smooth toadlet this patch is quite large and is almost always red, it can however be orange but is not yellow. In the dusky toadlet this colour patch is more reduced and is almost always orange, but can be red and occasionally yellow. In the Tyler's toadlet this patch is rarely anything other than yellow.
Each of these species has a different but similar call the dusky toadlet has a short "arrk", the smooth toadlet has a slightly longer and deeper "arrrk", while the Tyler's toadlet has the deepest and most elongated "arrrrk".
Sydney is the collision point of the 3 species, however around Sydney there is only smooth toadlets, just north of Sydney there are dusky toadlet and just south of Sydney there are Tyler's toadlets, the smooth toadlet occurs throughout much of the Tyler's toadlet and dusky toadlet's range.
The Bibron's toadlet or brown toadlet is a species of Australian ground-dwelling frog that, although having declined over much of its range, is widespread through most of New South Wales, Victoria, south-eastern Queensland, and eastern South Australia, including Kangaroo Island. Bibron's toadlet settles in a wide variety of habitats within these region but they mainly reside in dry forests, woodland, shrubland, grassland, coastal swamps, heathland, and sub-alpine areas. They deposit their eggs in leaf litters during the flooding season, which is essential for the proper development of the egg. This species has high sexual dimorphism within the species and utilizes chemosignals to attract potential mates.
The dusky toadlet is a species of Australian ground-dwelling frog that inhabits coastal areas from just north of Sydney, New South Wales to mid-northern Queensland.
Tyler's toadlet is a species of ground frog that is found in coastal areas in southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria.
The dainty green tree frog, also known as the graceful tree frog, is a species of tree frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is native to eastern Queensland, and north-eastern New South Wales, Australia and ranges from northern Cape York in Queensland to Gosford in New South Wales, with a small and most likely introduced population in Hornsby Heights in Sydney. It is one of two faunal emblems of the City of Brisbane.
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.
The striped burrowing frog is a species of burrowing frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae of the family Hylidae. It occurs throughout much of Australia, from northern New South Wales, through eastern and northern Queensland and into eastern Northern Territory. This species was once included in the genus Litoria or Cyclorana.
Uperoleia marmorata commonly known as the marbled toadlet, is only known by the holotype collected in the Kimberley region of Western Australia by Gray in 1841.
Ranoidea australis, commonly known as the giant frog, northern snapping frog, or round frog, is a burrowing species of frog native to Australia. It occurs from western Queensland through to northern Western Australia.
Metacrinia is a genus of frog in the family Myobatrachidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, Metacrinia nichollsi, commonly known as the Forest toadlet or Nicholls toadlet. It is endemic to Southwest Australia, occurring between Dunsborough and Albany.
The large toadlet or great toadlet or major toadlet is a species of ground-dwelling frog native to eastern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia.
The wrinkled toadlet is a species of small, ground-dwelling frog in the family Myobatrachidae It is endemic to Australia. It is also commonly called the small-headed toadlet, red-groined toadlet or the chubby gungan.
The turquoise parrot is a species of parrot in the genus Neophema native to Eastern Australia, from southeastern Queensland, through New South Wales and into North-Eastern Victoria. It was described by George Shaw in 1792. A small lightly built parrot at around 20 cm (7.9 in) long and 40 g in weight, it exhibits sexual dimorphism. The male is predominantly green with more yellowish underparts and a bright turquoise blue face. Its wings are predominantly blue with red shoulders. The female is generally duller and paler, with a pale green breast and yellow belly, and lacks the red wing patch.
The tiny Pilbara toadlet ) is a species of frog in the family Myobatrachidae. It is endemic to the arid Pilbara region of Australia. It is a burrowing frog and is found in rocky gorges and creeks in the Pilbara following cyclonic rains. The species name saxatilis means "rock-dwelling".
The southern toadlet, or marbled toadlet, is a species of small frog that is endemic to south-eastern Australia.
The Central Ranges toadlet, or Everard Ranges toadlet, is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia.
The Howard Springs toadlet, also known as the Howard River toadlet, Davies's toadlet or the Darwin sandsheet frog, is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet daviesae honours Australian herpetologist Margaret M. Davies.
Mahony's toadlet is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet honours Professor Michael Mahony of the University of Newcastle for contributions to the study of Australian frogs.
The tiny toadlet is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet micra refers to its small size.
The ratcheting toadlet is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet stridera, as well as the common name, refer to the grating nature of the call.
