Mahonabatrachus microbelos
Javelin Frog
Distribution
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Conservation Status
What does it mean?
Federal Conservation Status (EPBC Act)
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Frog Calls
Call recorded by Dane Trembath
Call recorded by Paul Doughty
Calling Period
- Jan
- peak
- Feb
- yes
- Mar
- yes
- Apr
- possible
- May
- No calling
- Jun
- No calling
- Jul
- No calling
- Aug
- No calling
- Sep
- possible
- Oct
- possible
- Nov
- yes
- Dec
- yes
Species Information
Description
A small species of frog reaching up to 2 cm in body length. It has a brown back, with a wide, lighter brown longitudinal stripe along the middle. There is often indistinct dark brown mottling on the head. There is a dark brown stripe from the tip of the snout to the side and a white stripe underneath the eye. The belly is white. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are one-third webbed, both without discs. This species was previously known as Litoria microbelos.
Habitats
Occurs in vegetation in flooded grassland, Melaleuca swamps, lagoons and billabongs.
Breeding Biology
Eggs are laid as small clusters attached to vegetation under the surface of the water in swamps, lagoons, billabongs, and ditches. Tadpoles can reach a total length of nearly 2.5 cm and are brown and gold in colour, with a dark longitudinal stripe from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail. They often remain at the bottom and shallow edges of water bodies, and it is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to summer in the wet season.
Similar Species
Looks similar to Carichyla bicolor, Drymomantis fallax, and Mahonabatrachus longirostris in its distribution, but has a different back colour to Carichyla bicolor and Drymomantis fallax, and lacks the long and very pointed snout of Mahonabatrachus longirostris.