| Stoney Creek Frog | |
|---|---|
| Male with breeding colouration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Litoria |
| Species: | L. wilcoxi |
| Binomial name | |
| Litoria wilcoxi Günther, 1864 |
|
| Distribution of the Stoney Creek Frog | |
The Stoney Creek Frog, is a ground dwelling tree frog (of the family Hylidae, genus Litoria), found in Eastern Australia.
Contents |
Female Stoney Creek Frogs reach a maximum snout–vent length (SVL) of 70 millimetres (2.8 in). The male's maximum SVL is 43 millimetres (1.7 in). It has reduced toe pads. Like most frogs, the colour of the Stoney Creek Frog is variable. The dorsal and ventral surfaces range from grey to brown. A thin, black line runs from the snout to the eye, widens after the eye, and continues uninterrupted until the base of the arm. The posterior thighs will be black with yellow or green spots (sometimes hard to detect on a first glance basis).
The Stoney Creek Frog's snout is very useful in the wild. It enables them to stay low under water so that they can stay away from predators. Their snout acts as a ventalation system. When the Stoney Creek Frog swims under water the snout will stick slightly above the water so that it can breathe.
During the mating season, the males congregate around streams/rivers and develop a brilliant lemon-yellow pigment on their skin, which can range from completely covering the body, to just covering the dorsal surface. The brightness of the yellow may vary between individuals.
The Stoney Creek Frog can be mistaken for Litoria latopalmata, although they can be distinguished by their posterior thigh markings.
This species is found in woodland, rainforest and sclerophyll forest. It is normally associated with rocky flowing streams, however it will also inhabit dams in suitable forest.
The Stoney Creek Frog is unusual in relation to most of the Litoria genus because it lacks a vocal sack. The call is a series of soft trills, which can only be heard within a few metres of the frog. The frog will call near both moving and still water sources.
This species is almost identical physiologically to Lesueur's Frog (Litoria lesueuri) and is identical physiologically to Litoria jungguy. It can be distinguished from Lesueur's Frog by the presence of blue spots on the thigh, which are missing in the Stoney Creek Frog. Geographical distribution and genetic testing are the only methods of differentiating the Stoney Creek Frog and Litoria jungguy.