Günther's Toadlet
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| Günther's Toadlet | ||||||||||||||
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| Pseudophryne guentheri Boulenger, 1882 |
The Günther's Toadlet (Pseudophryne guentheri) is a species of frog in the Myobatrachidae family. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, intermittent rivers, swamps, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, and pastureland. Description: This frog is grey or brown on its back with darker spots and blotches, including a darker patch between the eyes. There are lighter patches on the snout and above each shoulder. The upper part of the belly is smooth while the lower part is slightly granular, as is the throat. The belly is finely marbled grey/black and white. The skin on the back has low warts and ridges.
Size: 30 mm
Habitat: This frog lives in open forests, woodlands, heathlands and grasslands. It is common throughout the heavily cleared wheatbelt in Western Australia. Individuals are often found under rocks and logs.
Call: A short, grating "ark" repeated at regular intervals.Call available in Windows Media or Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © Dale Roberts.
Breeding: Males call during autumn after opening winter rain. They choose damp nest sites beside swamps, creeks and ditches.
Eggs: Are large.
Tadpoles: Are small and dark in colour.
Similar species: This frog can be distinguished from Pseudophryne occidentalis by the ridges above its shoulders and the fusion of the first two bones on teh shortest toe. P. occidentalis has large black and white patches on its belly.
Conservation Information Suspected threatening processes Salinisation Habitat modification (e.g. vegetation clearing, invasive weeds) Population size: An estimate of the total number of adults present in the species entire range is >50000 individuals. Factors affecting population size and distribution are unknown or unsubstantiated.
Population trend in Australia over the past 50 years: Population size stable or suspected to be stable or increasing.
Knowledge of population trend in Australia: Not currently monitored.
Population concentration: Not known to concentrate or exist in discrete locations. (e.g. the number of sites in which individuals group together either seasonally, such as breeding sites, or they may occupy discrete habitat patches within the broader landscape, such as discrete water bodies or drainage units.)
Ongoing management activities in Australia: None directed primarily at the taxon.
Reproductive potential for recovery: The average number of eggs deposited per adult female per year is 51-200 eggs/female/year. Minimum age at which females are known or suspected to first reproduce is <2 years.
Range size in Australia: The size of the geographic area over which the taxon is distributed: 80,001-1,000,000 km² (up to 12% area of Australia or about the area of South Australia).
Distribution trend: Area occupied has declined by < 25%. (This is an estimate of change in the portion of the total range that is occupied or utilised; it may not equal the change in total range.)
Knowledge of distribution in Australia: Broad range limits or habitat associations are known, but local occurrence cannot be predicted accurately.
References Barker, J., G.C. Grigg and M.J. Tyler. 1995. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons: Chipping Norton.
Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. Reed Books: Sydney.
