Notaden melanoscaphus
Northern Spadefoot
Distribution
:quality(60)/https%3A//media.frogid.net.au/media/dd/images/yyrb7goqf51pmwga4w9h.2e57fe2.png)
Conservation Status
What does it mean?
Federal Conservation Status (EPBC Act)
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Frog Calls
Call recorded by Paul Doughty
Call recorded by Dane Trembath
Calling Period
- Jan
- yes
- Feb
- yes
- Mar
- yes
- Apr
- No calling
- May
- No calling
- Jun
- No calling
- Jul
- No calling
- Aug
- No calling
- Sep
- No calling
- Oct
- No calling
- Nov
- No calling
- Dec
- yes
Species Information
Description
A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to 5.5 cm in body length. It has an olive-grey or brown back, with four dark brown patches in a cross pattern and sometimes small pale orange spots. There are dark vertical patches from the upper lip to the nostril and from the upper lip to under the eye. The belly is white, and the male has a brown throat. The pupil is horizontal or nearly round, and the iris is gold. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are one-third webbed, both without discs. Their skin can secrete a very sticky glue-like substance.
Habitats
Occurs in dry grassland with clay soils.
Breeding Biology
Eggs are laid as a cluster at the surface of the water in temporary ponds and floodplain ditches. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 4.5 cm and are gold or olive-brown in colour, sometimes stained with algae. They often remain on the bottom of water bodies, and take around two months to develop into frogs, although tadpoles in warm, shallow water bodies may develop faster. Breeds during the summer wet season after heavy rain.
Similar Species
Looks similar to Notaden nichollsi and Notaden weigeli in its distribution, but has four dark brown patches in a cross pattern on its back.