Striped Marsh Frog

Scientific name: Limnodynastes peronii

Updated

04/02/21
Read time

2 minutes

Striped Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes peronii) — A large species of frog reaching up to 7.5 cm in body length. It has a brown back with dark brown longitudinal stripes, and sometimes a cream-coloured or reddish stripe along the middle. There is a pale stripe from under the eye to the top of the arm. The belly is white, and the male has a pale yellow throat with brown mottling. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs. The male has distinctly larger forearms than the female. Image: Jodi Rowley
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

Classification

Species

peronii

Genus

Limnodynastes

Family

Myobatrachidae

Order

Anura

Subclass

Lissamphibia

Subphylum

Vertebrata

Phylum

Chordata

Kingdom

Animalia
Size Range

6.5 cm

Description

A large species of frog reaching up to 7.5 cm in body length. It has a brown back with dark brown longitudinal stripes, and sometimes a cream-coloured or reddish stripe along the middle. There is a pale stripe from under the eye to the top of the arm. The belly is white, and the male has a pale yellow throat with brown mottling. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs. The male has distinctly larger forearms than the female.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Limnodynastes convexiuslculus, Limnodynastes fletcheri, Limnodynastes salmini, and Limnodynastes tasmaniensis in its distribution. All of these species have spots on the back instead of multiple longitudinal stripes, except for Limnodynastes salmini, which has distinct salmon-pink or orange stripes that are lacking in Limnodynastes peronii.

Distribution

Found along the entire coast of NSW, all of coastal VIC, coastal QLD excluding the Cape York region, the ACT, southeast SA, and northern TAS.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as a foamy mass on the surface of most still water bodies, including fish ponds and abandoned swimming pools, often within vegetation at the edges. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 9.5 cm and are dark brown or black in colour. They often remain at the bottom of water bodies, and take seven to eight months to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to autumn.