Haswell's Froglet

Description

A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to 3.5 cm in body length. It has a reddish-brown or grey-brown back, often with a pale longitudinal stripe along the middle and dark brown or black spots. There is also a distinct black stripe from the nostril to the arm. The belly is cream-coloured, with brown mottling. The pupil is nearly round, and the iris is gold. The armpits, groin, and backs of the thighs are bright red. Fingers and toes are both unwebbed, both with small discs.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as small clusters that stick to vegetation under the surface of the water in dams and ponds. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 5.5 cm, and are yellow-brown or black in colour. They often remain in the shallows of water bodies and take around three months to develop into frogs, although tadpoles in colder areas may take much longer. Breeds during autumn to spring.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Crinia parinsignifera, Crinia signifera, Crinia tinnula, and Geocrinia victoriana in its distribution, but none of these species has the same combination of a distinct black stripe from the nostril to the eye, cream-coloured belly with brown mottling, and bright red at the armpits, groin, and backs of the thighs.

Distribution

Found from northern NSW to eastern VIC along the coast.