The striped burrowing frog (''Ranoidea alboguttata'') is a species of burrowing frog in the subfamily

Pelodryadinae Pelodryadinae, also known as Australian treefrogs (although not all members are arboreal), is a subfamily of frogs found in the region of Australia and New Guinea, and have also been introduced to New Caledonia, Guam, New Zealand, and Vanuatu. ...

of the family

Hylidae Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as " tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semiaquatic. Taxonomy and ...

. It occurs throughout much of Australia, from northern

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 ...

, through eastern and 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_ ...

and into eastern

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Au ...

. This species was once included in the genus ''

Litoria ''Litoria'' is a genus of hylid tree frogs, sometimes collectively referred to as Australasian treefrogs, that are native to Australia, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and the Moluccan Islan ...

'' or ''Cyclorana''.

Description

The female of this species grows up to in length and the male can reach an adult length of . It is brown, olive or green dorsally, with darker blotches. There is usually a pale yellow or yellow-green stripe down the back, and a dark streak runs from the snout, through the eye and the tympanum, breaking up down the flanks. This stripe has lateral

skin fold Skin folds or skinfolds are areas of skin that are naturally folded. Many skin folds are distinct, heritable anatomical features, and may be used for identification of animal species, while others are non-specific and may be produced either by ind ...

above it. The backs of the thighs are dark, almost black, with large white, with some flecks brown on the throat and chest. The skin of the back has scattered

wart Warts are typically small, rough, hard growths that are similar in color to the rest of the skin. They typically do not result in other symptoms, except when on the bottom of the feet, where they may be painful. While they usually occur on the ...

s and ridges. The belly is granular, but the throat and chest are smooth. The toes are half webbed. The tympanum is distinct.

Ecology and behaviour

''R. alboguttata'' lives in woodlands, grassy and cleared areas. It is usually only seen around temporary pools and water-filled

claypan Claypan is a dense, compact, slowly permeable layer in the subsoil. It has a much higher clay content than the overlying material, from which it is separated by a sharply defined boundary. The dense structure restricts root growth and water infiltr ...

s. The species is active by day and night. This frog is known to go through a period of

torpor Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. The term "torpor" can refer to the tim ...

when resources are scant.

University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = ...

researchers have discovered that their cell metabolism changes during a dormancy period, allowing the frogs to maximize the use of their limited energy resources without depleting them completely.Society for Experimental Biology (2009, June 29). C. alboguttata has been noted to secrete highly acidic mucus as defence mechanism often causing terminal injury to predator. Obesity Clues From Research On How Burrowing Frogs Survive Years Without Food. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 1, 2009, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629081133.htm This discovery could prove to have important medical applications, particularly regarding

obesity Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's ...

Reproduction

Males call from around the grassy edges of temporary pools and ditches. They are often heard by day, and usually seen only after heavy summer rain. The call is a rapid "quacking" made from the ground or shallow water and eggs are laid in clumps near the waters edge.

References

Frogs Australia Network - call available here
*Anstis, M. 2002. Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney. *Barker, J.; Grigg, G.C.; Tyler, M.J. (1995). A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons. *Robinson, M. 2002. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia. Australian Museum/Reed New Holland: Sydney.

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q28027467 Ranoidea (genus) Frogs of Australia Amphibians of New South Wales Amphibians of Queensland Amphibians of the Northern Territory Amphibians described in 1867 Taxa named by Albert Günther Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN

Description

Ecology and behaviour

Reproduction

See also

References

External links