DECLINING FROGS OF THE WET TROPICS

Common Mist Frog (Litoria rheocola)

STATUS:

ENDANGERED; WELL PROTECTED. Declined from sites above 300 metres altitude.

DISTRIBUTION:

Broadwater Creek National Park to Amos Bay.

HABITAT:

Rocky fast flowing creeks and streams in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest between altitudes 0 to 1180 metres. Found among rocks and logs in and beside waterfalls and fast flowing sections of the stream.

DESCRIPTION:

Adult body length up to 50 mm. Dorsal surface smooth or with scattered small tubercles; dull grey or brown with scattered dark flecks and irregular dark markings that form a broad vertebral zone between the eyes. An obscure dark band along side of snout, through eye and ear to shoulder. Dorso-lateral skin fold absent. Ventral surface granular; white. Fingers moderately webbed, toes almost fully webbed. Finger and toe discs large. Large, flat, oval metatarsal tubercle, no outer. Male nuptial pad small, consisting of small fine dark brown keratinous spinules. Tympanum small, sometimes distinct.

CALL:

A regular repeated long drawn single note; Harsh, growl-like, repetitious "wreek".

BREEDING AND LARVAE:

Eggs unpigmented, deposited in compact gelatinous clumps under rocks in water. Tadpoles creamy yellow with bold red mottling, may be inconspicuous in some specimens otherwise grey/olive. Tail musculature and fins creamy yellow with or without dark flecks/spots. Intestine not visible, entirely covered by silver chromatophores extending medially over branchial region in some specimens. Spiracle sinistral. Vent tube medial. Oral disc suctorial, completely surrounded by marginal papillae. Submarginal papillae present? Labial Tooth Row Formula: 2/3. Total length of tadpole up to 29 mm at stage 25. Found in fast flowing water currents clinging to rocks and other substrate's.

REFERENCES:

Description: Liem, 1974. Call: Liem, 1974, McDonald, 1992. Larvae: Liem, 1974. Miscellaneous: Dennis and Trenerry, 1984; Cogger, 1988; McDonald, 1991,1992; Covacevich and McDonald, 1993; Richards et al, 1993; Richards and James, 1992.

Literature cited.

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Prepared by: J-M. Hero, Updated August 1, 1994. Dept. Zoology, James Cook University, QLD 4811.

zljmh@jcu.edu.au