Download App
Back to Frogs

Mixophyes balbus

Southern Barred Frog

Conservation Status

EPBC:

Vulnerable

IUCN:

Vulnerable

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 brown or grey-brown back, with a darker longitudinal stripe or series of patches along the middle. There is a black stripe from the nostril to past the eye, and a black triangular patch on the tip of the snout. The belly is white or yellow. The pupil is vertical and the iris is dark brown, with a blue crescent in the upper half. The legs and arms have dark horizontal bars. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are three-quarters webbed, both without discs.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid loosely or in clusters in very shallow water in wet gravel or leaf litter nests that are dug next to rocky streams. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 8 cm, and are dark grey or nearly black in colour. They often remain at the bottom of water bodies and take at least 15 months to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to autumn after rain.

Similar Species

Looks similar to all Mixophyes fasciolatus and Mixophyes iteratus in its distribution, but has a different eye colour to both of these species, and is generally smaller than Mixophyes iteratus.

Images

Photo: Jodi Rowley

Photo: Jodi Rowley

Photo: Jodi Rowley

Photo: Stephen Mahony

Photo: Stephen Mahony

Calls

By: Jodi Rowley

By: Jodi Rowley

Distribution

Formerly found from northern NSW south to northeastern VIC along the coast and ranges, but has declined severely due to the amphibian chytrid fungus and is now only known from populations north of Sydney, NSW, excluding far northern NSW near the border with QLD.

What is FrogID

About UsFrogID ScienceFrogID for SchoolsOur partners