Howard Springs toadlet

The Howard Springs toadlet (Uperoleia daviesae), also known as the Howard River toadlet, Davies's toadlet or the Darwin sandsheet frog, is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet daviesae honours Australian herpetologist Margaret M. Davies.

Howard Springs toadlet
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Myobatrachidae
Genus: Uperoleia
Species:
U. daviesae
Binomial name
Uperoleia daviesae
Young, Tyler & Kent, 2005[2]

Description

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The species grows to about 25 mm in length (SVL). The upper body is grey to grey-brown. The belly is pale pink, speckled white. The throat of the male is dark grey. The fingers are unwebbed; the toes only slightly webbed. The backs of the thighs and groin are red to orange.[3] The call of species is short and raspy.[4]

Behaviour

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Breeding takes place during the wet season. Eggs are attached singly to submerged vegetation in shallow pools and flooded grassland.[3]

Distribution and habitat

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The species' known range is limited to the vicinity of Howard Springs, some 30 km south-east of the city of Darwin in the tropical Top End of Australia's Northern Territory.[3] There the frogs inhabit sandplain heathland, within the Howard and Elizabeth River catchments, that is inundated during the wet season.[4]

References

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  1. ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Uperoleia daviesae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T136157A78432339. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  2. ^ Young, Jeanne E; Tyler, Michael J; Kent, Sally A (2005). "Diminutive New Species of Uperoleia Grey (Anura: Myobatrachidae) from the Vicinity of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia". Journal of Herpetology. 39 (4): 603–609. doi:10.1670/77-05A.1. JSTOR 4092850. S2CID 85644413.
  3. ^ a b c "Uperoleia daviesae". FrogID. Australian Museum. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Howard River Toadlet" (PDF). Threatened Species of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Government, Darwin. Retrieved 2 May 2021.