Australian lace-lid

Australian Lace-lid
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Litoria
Species: L. dayi
Binomial name
Litoria dayi
(Günther, 1897)
The range of Nyctimystes dayi.

The Australian Lace-lid (Litoria dayi) is a tree frog and is the only species in its genus that occurs in Australia.

Description

This is a normal sized frog growing to 50 mm in length. It is variable in colour and patterning and this led to the belief that there were three species in Australia. The dorsal surface is rich-brown to orange-brown with or without scattered cream or lichen like spots and blotches covering it, the head or the limbs. The arms and legs have faint barring and a slight fringe along the outer edges. The belly is cream-white and granular, with the throat and under surface of the arms and legs being black. The iris is dark brown and the pupil is vertical when constricted. The lower eyelid is patterned with lines, veins and dots. Toes are fully webbed and fingers are almost completely webbed. The tympanum is distinct with the upper quarter cover under a skin fold.

Ecology and behaviour

This species ranges from Paluma to Cooktown in north Queensland. It is associated with fast flowing creeks in montane rainforests of altitudes ranging from 0–1200 m. But can also be found around slower watercourses and rock soaks when ample vegetation is present. They breed from spring to summer with peak breeding occurring from October to April. Males call while on low foliage or rocks close to the stream, and have has two distinct calls. A drawn out “eeeeeeee” repeated three or four times in concession is made when calling in a group and when calling alone a short “ee” is made every 4–5 seconds. Eggs are large and unpigmented and are laid in clumps of up to 100 attached to submerged objects.

Similar species

It may be confused with the Fringed Tree Frog and the New Guinea Tree Frog which it is readily distinguished by the vertical pupil and the lower eyelid patterning.

Conservation status

It is listed as Endangered under both the IUCN Red List and Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992.

References

  1. ↑ Jean-Marc Hero, Ross Alford, Michael Cunningham, Keith McDonald, Richard Retallick (2004). "Litoria dayi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 29 March 2014.

Additional sources