Striped burrowing frog


The striped burrowing frog is a species of burrowing frog in the family Pelodryadidae. 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.

Description

The female of this species grows up to in length and the male can reach an adult length of. It is brown, olive or green dorsally, with darker blotches. There is usually a pale yellow or yellow-green stripe down the back, and a dark streak runs from the snout, through the eye and the tympanum, breaking up down the flanks. This stripe has lateral skin fold above it. The backs of the thighs are dark, almost black, with large white, with some flecks brown on the throat and chest. The skin of the back has scattered warts and ridges. The belly is granular, but the throat and chest are smooth. The toes are half webbed. The tympanum is distinct.

Ecology and behaviour

R. alboguttata lives in woodlands, grassy and cleared areas. It is usually only seen around temporary pools and water-filled claypans. The species is active by day and night. This frog is known to go through a period of torpor when resources are scant. University of Queensland researchers have discovered that their cell metabolism changes during a dormancy period, allowing the frogs to maximize the use of their limited energy resources without depleting them completely. This discovery could prove to have important medical applications, particularly regarding obesity.

Reproduction

Males call from around the grassy edges of temporary pools and ditches. They are often heard by day, and usually seen only after heavy summer rain. The call is a rapid "quacking" made from the ground or shallow water and eggs are laid in clumps near the waters edge.