Uperoleia laevigata (Smooth Toadlet)

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Conservation status: Common

Family: Myobatrachidae

Appearance: It has a noticable warty appearance, and can be identified by the presence of a conspicuous orange patch behind the front of each thigh. These patches may be "flash markings" intended to frighten potential predators. Paratoid glands are often noticable as swellings on either side of the head above the forearms. A pale triangular-shaped patch is usually obvious on the head between the eyes and the tip of the snout.

Length: 20 - 35mm

Breeding: Males call from September to February.

Habitat: Found in swamps, farm dams and lakes, in a range of drier habitat types. They appear to avoid low-lying pasture, unless drier, rocky or tussock-covered hillsides are nearby. They occur in forest, woodland and tussock grassland in the Canberra region.

Distribution: Very common in the Canberra region, and occuring throughout the Southern Tablelands at least as far as the Jindabyne area and into lower parts of Kosciuszko National Park and Namadgi National Park, up to 1100m elevation.

Biology: Males call from sheltered positions well back from the water's edge, often as much as 10m away. The males usually call from partially hidden positions amongst grass tussocks, fallen timber or leaf litter. When a male has attracted the female and clasped her in amplexus, the female carries the male to the water and, with the male clinging to her back, swims out and lays the eggs beneath the water surface by attaching them to submerged vegetation or twigs at the bottom of the pond.

Call: A low-pitched, monotonous sounding "wwhhrrkkkk", repeated at intervals of a few seconds.

Uperoleia laevigata is listed in the following regions:

Canberra & Southern Tablelands | Southern Highlands | Albury, Wodonga | South Coast