Lesueur's frog (''Ranoidea lesueuri'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of ground-dwelling tree frog native to south-eastern Australia, from

Sydney, New South Wales Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountains ...

, to eastern Victoria.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''lesueuri'', is in honor of French naturalist Charles Alexandre Lesueur.Beoelens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2013. ''The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians''. Exeter, England: Pelagic Publishing Ltd. xiii + 262 pp. . ("Lesueur", p. 124).

Description

Lesueur's frog is a moderately large frog; females of this species reach 7 cm (2.8 in), while males reach about 4.5 cm (1.8 in). It ranges from pale to dark brown above, but males in the breeding season become bright yellow. Often, darker patches occur on the back. A dark stripe runs from the snout to the shoulder. The backs of the legs are blue with black spots, which helps distinguish this species from the very similar stony creek frog. The top half of the iris is pale and the

bottom Bottom may refer to: Anatomy and sex * Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or dominant * Bottom (sex), a term used by gay couples and BDSM * Buttocks or bottom, part of th ...

half dark. The toe discs are small and the belly is white.

Ecology and behaviour

Lesueur's frog is associated with rocky streams and creeks in coastal heath forests, montane areas, and rainforests. Males make a soft, purring call from beside creeks or from pools on the edges of streams during spring, summer, and autumn. Breeding occurs mostly after rain. An average of about 1630 eggs are laid in single clump loosely attached to bedrock in streams. The eggs are normally laid in still pools of streams. Hatching occurs up to a week after laying. Tadpoles reach about 4.5 cm (1.8 in), and are golden brown.

Metamorphosis Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some inse ...

occurs during summer and autumn, about 50–60 days after laying. Metamorph frogs are small, about 1.4 cm (0.6 in) and resemble the adult, but the dark stripe on the head is not very prominent. In 2004, this species was divided into three separate species, with the stony creek frog north of Sydney and ''

Ranoidea jungguy ''Ranoidea jungguy'' is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae, endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and rivers, and it is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (als ...

'' in northern

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Etymology

Description

Ecology and behaviour

References

Further reading