DECLINING FROGS OF THE WET TROPICS

Australian Lace-lid (Nyctimystes dayi)

STATUS:

ENDANGERED; WELL PROTECTED. Populations have declined at sites above 300 metres altitude.

DISTRIBUTION:

Found throughout the WTBR between Paluma and Cooktown.

HABITAT:

Fast flowing rocky streams in rainforest between altitudes 0 to 1200 metres. Found on rocks, boulders and vegetation in and adjacent to water.

DESCRIPTION:

Adult body length 40 - 60 mm Dorsal surface smooth or finely granular, rich brown or orange-brown, with or without a series of cream or white lichen-like spots and blotches on head, back or limbs. Ventral surface granular. Limbs often with obscure banding or marbling. Fingers half- to nearly fully webbed. Toe discs usually smaller than finger discs. Eyes large with vertically elliptical pupils and lower eyelid with reticulum or palpebral venation of fine, golden pigmented lines. Tympanum indistinct.

CALL:

Harsh growl-like sound; A short, sharp "ee" every five to six seconds, sometimes over long periods. In chorus a drawn out "eeeeeeee" that inflects downwards at the end, repeated three or four times in succession.

BREEDING AND LARVAE:

Breeds from October to April. Eggs laid in cohesive clump under rocks in rapidly-flowing water. Eggs unpigmented, up to 107 eggs may be laid. Tadpole grey/olive green, light pink in front of eyes. Head broad, blunt, almost circular. Distinct round, almost circular dark patch between eyes. Bold black pigmentation on dorsal side of tail musculature, dark midline on ventral surface. Dark, venation entire on dorsal fin, incomplete venation towards posterior of ventral fins. Ventral surface with silver chromatophores covering entire intestine. Intestine not visible. Spiracle sinistral. Vent tube medial. Oral disc large, suctorial, completely surrounded by marginal and submarginal papillae. Submarginal papillae on lower labium posterior to row P-3 large, poorly defined, arranged as longitudinal bumps and ridges. Lower labium overlaps branchial region. Labial Tooth Row Formula 2/3. Total length of tadpole up to 35.6 mm at stage 41. Torrent adapted, found on or under rocks in fast flowing sections of the stream.

REFERENCES:

Description: Czechura, Ingram and Liem, 1987; Call: McDonald, 1992; Czechura, Ingram and Liem, 1987. Larvae: Davies and Richards, 1990. Miscellaneous: Dennis and Trenerry, 1984; Cogger, 1988; Covacevich and McDonald; Richards et al, 1993; McDonald, 1991, 1992; Trenerry et al., 1994.

Literature cited.

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

zljmh@jcu.edu.au