Spicospina flammocaerulea
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| Sunset Frog | ||||||||||||||
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| Spicospina flammocaerulea Roberts, Horwitz, Wardell-Johnson, Maxson, and Mahony, 1997 |
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 Range of the Sunset Frog
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Spicospina flammocaerulea, the Sunset Frog, is a species of ground-dwelling frog native to south-west Western Australia, Australia. It is the only species in the genus Spicospina. It is known from only 27 sites, all occurring east and northeast of Walpole.
[edit] Description
Spicospina flammocaerulea is a smaller species, with a snout-vent length of 31-36 in the females and males growing to 29.5-34.8 mm. The physical appearance and colouration differs greatly from all other Australian frog species. It is a dark-purple to black or very dark grey on the dorsal surface. There are orange markings below the vent, around the margins of the body and on the hands and feet. The throat, chest and the underside of the hands and feet are also orange. The back is granular with lots of raised glands, a large parotoid gland is located behind each eye. The belly has vivid light blue spotting on a dark background which is smooth. The fingers and toes are free from webbing and pads.
[edit] Ecology and behaviour
The Sunset Frog is only found in isolated permanently moist peat swamps, in high rainfall areas. These site have high moisture content and are often protect from drier condition by seepages that provide water even through the drier seasons (Spring and Summer). Males call between October and December from shallow pools, water seepages or in open water along creek margins. They make a rapidly repeated "dd-duk-duk". Females lay less than 200 eggs that are deposited singly often supported by algae mats just below the surface of the water.
