Taudactylus
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| Taudactylus | ||||||||||||
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 Eungella Torrent Frog, Taudactylus eungellensis
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 Range of Taudactylus
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See text. |
Taudactylus is a genus of frogs in the family Myobatrachidae. These frogs are endemic to rainforest areas of coastal eastern Australia, most of this genus inhabit fast flowing streams in highland area. Most members of this genus have suffered serious declines: T. dirunus is believed to be extinct, while all others except T. liemi are listed as critically endangered. Other sources have reported that T. acutirostris is now extinct.[1]
They are distinguishable from other Australian myobatrachid by the T-shaped pad at the end of each finger and toe. They are all small frog reach no larger than 40 mm in length. The fingers and toes are unwebbed and the skin is generally smooth. The tympanum is large and is either visible or hidden. They lack vocal sacs but all species are known to call. The Eungella Torrent Frog is the only known Myobatrachid known to show its presence by the movement of its body.
Of the six species in the genus Taudactylus, one of the most primitive groups of frogs in Australia, two are restricted to the Wet Tropics of Queensland. T. rheophilus had been recorded only from the Bellenden Ker Range, Lamb Range, Carbine Tableland and Thornton Peak, all recognised refugial areas but has suffered massive declines over its entire former range. Prior to 1988, T. acutirostris occurred in upland streams throughout the World Heritage Area. However, it has since suffered a dramatic decline in numbers and its status is considered critical (Ingram and McDonald 1993)The catastrophic amphibian declines which have occurred in the Wet Tropics has recently been attributed to an amphibian fungal disease caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Mixophyes is represented in the Wet Tropics by M. schevilli, the Northern Barred Frog. Molecular studies have shown M shevilli to represent three species, each well differentiated (Donnellan et al. 1993).
[edit] Species
| Common name | Binomial name |
|---|---|
| Sharp-snouted Torrent Frog | Taudactylus acutirostris (Andersson, 1913) |
| Mount Glorious Torrent Frog | Taudactylus diurnus (Straughan & Lee, 1966) (extinct) |
| Eungella Torrent Frog | Taudactylus eungellensis (Liem & Hosmer, 1973) |
| Liem's Frog | Taudactylus liemi (Ingram, 1980) |
| Kroombit Tinker Frog | Taudactylus pleione (Czechura, 1986) |
| Tinkling Frog | Taudactylus rheophilus (Liem & Hosmer, 1973) |
