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Uperoleia mimula

Mimic Toadlet

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 small species of frog reaching up to nearly 3 cm in body length. It has a brown back, with darker patches and a pale, orange-brown longitudinal stripe along the middle. The sides of the body and head are grey or bluish-grey. There is sometimes a small, pale yellow-white stripe from the edge of the mouth to the arm. The tops of the arms at the shoulders are pale orange-brown. The belly is white, and the male has a grey throat. The pupil is nearly round, and the iris is gold. The groin and the backs of the thighs are bright red. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are slightly webbed, both without discs. The parotoid glands are large and often brown or sand-coloured.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid singly and attached to vegetation under the surface of the water in ponds, swamps, and flooded grassland. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 3.5 cm, and are gold-brown or brown-black in colour. They often remain at the bottom of water bodies. It is unknown how long they take to turn into frogs. Breeds during summer to autumn in the wet season.

Similar Species

Looks very similar to Uperoleia altissima, Uperoleia lithomoda, and Uperoleia littlejohni in its distribution, but has a different call to Uperoleia lithomoda and Uperoleia littlejohni. The best way to differentiate it from Uperoleia altissima is by DNA testing.

Images

Photo: Shane Black

Photo: Adam Parsons

Photo: Adam Parsons

Photo: Cameron de Jong

Calls

By: Dave Stewart

By: Keith McDonald

Distribution

Found along the coast and ranges of QLD, from near Townsville to the top of Cape York.

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