Kimberley rockhole frog

The Kimberley rockhole frog (Litoria aurifera) is a species of small treefrog that is endemic to Western Australia.[2][3] The species epithet aurifera (‘gold-bearing’) refers to the colouring of the tadpoles.[3]

Kimberley rockhole frog
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Litoria
Species:
L. aurifera
Binomial name
Litoria aurifera
Anstis, Tyler, Roberts, Price & Doughty, 2010[1]

History

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The species was described in 2010 following the discovery by botanists Matt and Russell Barrett of its distinctive tadpoles in shallow water near the Prince Regent River in the tropical Kimberley region of north-west Australia.[3]

Description

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The species is similar in appearance to the common rockhole frog (Litoria meiriana). It grows up to 22 mm long, and has small limbs with fully webbed toes. The tadpoles have black bodies with gold patches on the snout and back. The metamorphs are about 11 mm long.[3]

Distribution and habitat

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The frog has a restricted range in rugged sandstone country, from Walcott Inlet to the Prince Regent National Park, where it occurs in rocky waterholes and creeks.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Anstis, Marion; Tyler, Michael J.; Roberts, Dale; Price, Luke C. & Doughty, Paul (2010). "A new species of Litoria (Anura: Hylidae) with a highly distinctive tadpole from the north-western Kimberley region of Western Australia" (PDF). Zootaxa. 2550: 39–57. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2550.1.3. hdl:2440/61497.
  2. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2021). "Litoria aurifera Anstis, Tyler, Roberts, Price, and Doughty, 2010". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Kimberley Rockhole Frog". Frog Watch. Western Australian Museum. Retrieved 21 April 2021.