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Heleioporus albopunctatus

Western Spotted Frog

Conservation Status

EPBC:

Unlisted

IUCN:

Least Concern

Calling Period

Possible
Yes
Peak
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Description

A large species of frog reaching up to 10 cm in body length. It has a dark maroon or brown back, with distinct white or cream spots. The belly is white and the throat is sometimes pale brown. It has a white stripe along the upper lip extending from the jaw to under the eye. The pupil is vertical and the iris is silver-grey. Fingers are unwebbed and toes slightly webbed, both without discs. Adult males have large black spines on their fingers during the breeding season.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as a foamy mass out of the water inside burrows near claypans, swamps, abandoned quarries, and shallow temporary watercourses. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 6.5 cm and are dark brown in colour, often with a gold patch behind each eye. The back colour may change from light gold to darker as the water becomes clearer. They often remain on the bottom of water bodies and escape into the water after their burrows are flooded, taking four to five months to develop into frogs. Breeds during autumn.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Heleioporus barycragus, Heleioporus eyrei, Heleioporus inornatus, and Heleioporus psammophilus in its distribution, but has distinct white or cream spots on its back.

Images

Photo: Stephen Mahony

Photo: Stephen Mahony

Calls

By: Dale Roberts

By: Stephen Mahony & Michael Mahony

Distribution

Found in southwest WA, from Galena south through the wheat belt and Darling Range and then east to Jerramungup.

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