Anstisia vitellina
Orange-bellied Froglet
Distribution
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Conservation Status
What does it mean?
Federal Conservation Status (EPBC Act)
IUCN Red List
Vulnerable
Frog Calls
Call recorded by Christine Fleay
Call recorded by Dale Roberts
Calling Period
- Jan
- No calling
- Feb
- No calling
- Mar
- No calling
- Apr
- No calling
- May
- No calling
- Jun
- No calling
- Jul
- No calling
- Aug
- yes
- Sep
- yes
- Oct
- yes
- Nov
- yes
- Dec
- yes
Species Information
Description
A small species of frog reaching up to 2.5 cm in body length. It has a brown or light grey back, with longitudinal rows of black spots. The belly is bright orange-yellow. The under-surfaces of the arms and legs are pink-white, with brown specks. The pupil is horizontal, and the iris is dark brown. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs. This species was previously in the genus Geocrinia, but research published in 2022 recognised this species, along with three other closely related species, as distinct and placed them in the newly-described genus Anstisia, in honour of Australian Museum Research Associate Dr Marion Anstis.
Habitats
Occurs in seepages near creeks in Jarrah forest.
Breeding Biology
Eggs are laid as a small cluster on land in wet peat soil burrows hidden by vegetation near creeks. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to nearly 2 cm and are brown in colour, with metallic bright blue specks. They never swim in water; instead they develop inside the broken egg jelly mass, feeding entirely on their own gut yolk reserves. They take at around three months to develop into frogs. Breeds during late winter to summer.
Similar Species
Looks similar to Crinia georgiana, Crinia glauerti, Crinia pseudinsignifera, Anstisia alba, and Geocrinia leai in its distribution, but has a different belly colour to all of these species.