The wrinkled toadlet (''Uperoleia rugosa'') is a species of small, ground-dwelling

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

in the family

Myobatrachidae Myobatrachidae, commonly known as Australian ground frogs or Australian water frogs, is a family of frogs found in Australia and New Guinea. Members of this family vary greatly in size, from species less than long, to the second-largest frog in ...

It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Australia. It is also commonly called the small-headed toadlet, red-groined toadlet or the chubby gungan.

Description

The wrinkled toadlet is a small frog, which varies largely in size. It is smaller on the coast of eastern Australia, and larger inland, ranging from . The dorsal surface is warty, and grey to brown, with dark markings. The ventral surface is smooth and grey. The

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of toads and some frogs and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known collective ...

s and inguinal glands are large in comparison to the size of the frog, and yellowish in colour. Behind each knee, and in the groin are bright orange. The tadpoles hatch mostly black, with a distinct gold patch behind each eye. As development continues, the gold pigment spreads, until the tadpole is mottled grey and gold. The wrinkled toadlet has mostly unwebbed hands and feet, and the tympanum is not visible.

Ecology and behavior

The wrinkled toadlet inhabits subtropical or tropical dry

shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...

, subtropical or tropical dry lowland

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

and forests, and intermittent freshwater

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found at ...

es. The males call from within flooded grasslands any time of the year, except winter. The male's call is a high pitched click.

Amplexus Amplexus (Latin "embrace") is a type of mating behavior exhibited by some externally fertilizing species (chiefly amphibians and horseshoe crabs) in which a male grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process, and at the same ...

takes place within the flooded grassland. The male fertilizes each egg individually. The female then dives under water and attaches it to a submerged object. Each egg is attached to a different object.

Notes

References

* * * * Uperoleia Amphibians of Queensland Amphibians of New South Wales Amphibians of Victoria (Australia) Amphibians of South Australia Amphibians described in 1916 Frogs of Australia {{Myobatrachidae-stub