The striped marsh frog or brown-striped frog (''Limnodynastes peronii'') is a predominantly aquatic frog native to coastal Eastern Australia. It is a common species in urban habitats.

Taxonomy

The striped marsh frog was described by French naturalists

André Marie Constant Duméril André Marie Constant Duméril (1 January 1774 – 14 August 1860) was a French zoologist. He was professor of anatomy at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle from 1801 to 1812, when he became professor of herpetology and ichthyology. His ...

and

Gabriel Bibron Gabriel Bibron (20 October 1805 – 27 March 1848) was a French zoologist and herpetologist. He was born in Paris. The son of an employee of the Museum national d'histoire naturelle, he had a good foundation in natural history and was hir ...

in 1841.

Description

Females may reach a length of and males . They are a shade of brown on the dorsal surface. This colour can be light or dark; they can also be a red-brown on the dorsal surface. There are distinct darker stripes running down the frogs back (giving this species its name), there is normally a paler mid-dorsal stripe running down the back. There is a black "mask" that runs from the nostril, through the eye and down to the shoulder. This "mask" is followed by a thick light golden line that runs underneath the "mask" and terminates at the end of the mouth. Breeding males develop thick arms, these are used in "wrestling" matches with other frogs, the throat of males is yellow in colour. The belly is white.

Distribution and habitat

It is distributed from the southern parts of the Cape York Peninsula in North

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_ ...

, through all of coastal

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, Southern Victoria to southeastern South Australia and Northern

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

. Although this species is very common in coastal NSW, it is not common in Tasmania and listed as rare.

Ecology and behaviour

This species is the most frequently encountered frog on the east coast of Australia. They are normally the first frog to colonise a garden frog pond and are often victims of backyard swimming pools. They will inhabit ponds, roadside ditches, creeks, dams, flooded areas and any other available water body. The natural prey of this species includes another local species of frog called

Bibron's Toadlet The Bibron's toadlet or brown toadlet (''Pseudophryne bibronii'') is a species of Australian ground-dwelling frog that, although having declined over much of its range, is widespread through most of New South Wales, Victoria, south-eastern Que ...

. They are tolerant of

polluted water Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

. Males call while floating in water from a hidden area in vegetation. They make a "knock" call as if you were to hit a piece of timber with a hammer, during all months of the year (particularly spring-autumn). This call is familiar to anyone in Sydney who has a garden pond. Several studies have used striped marsh frogs to try to understand why worldwide

amphibian declines Since the 1980s, decreases in amphibian populations, including population decline and localized mass extinctions, have been observed in locations all over the world. These declines are known as one of the most critical threats to global biodiver ...

are greater in montane regions. Researchers have found that negative effects of low temperatures and high

ultraviolet-B Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation i ...

(UVB) radiation on tadpole survival are greater when the two stressors are combined. UVB radiation decreased the survival of striped marsh frog tadpoles, but there was an increasingly large mortality rate when low temperatures were involved. UVB radiation caused DNA damage, and as the temperature decreased, the turnover time to repair DNA decreased, so the damage lasted longer. The breeding season is from late winter to early spring. Eggs are laid in a foamy nest and tadpoles can take 8–12 months to develop. Pale brown, they can be up to 6.5 cm long.

Human interactions

In Australia this animal may be kept in captivity with the appropriate permit. However, striped marsh frogs also often colonise garden ponds.

Sources

*Anstis, M. 2002. Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney. *Robinson, M. 2002. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia. Australian Museum/Reed New Holland: Sydney. *
Frogs of AustraliaFrog and Tadpole Study GroupDepartment of Environment, Climate Change and Water, New South Wales: Amphibian Keeper's Licence: Species ListsWildlife Victoria,keeping-and-trading-wildlife/private-wildlife-licences

References

* Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern {{Taxonbar, from=Q538161 Limnodynastes Amphibians of Queensland Amphibians of New South Wales Amphibians of the Australian Capital Territory Amphibians of Victoria (Australia) Amphibians of South Australia Amphibians of Tasmania Amphibians described in 1841 Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril Taxa named by Gabriel Bibron Frogs of Australia