Litoria castanea

Litoria castanea
Litoria castanea
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Litoria
Species: L. castanea
Binomial name
Litoria castanea
Steindachner, 1867
Synonyms
  • Litoria flavipunctata Courtice & Grigg, 1975
  • Litoria flavipunctata Steindachner, 1867

Litoria castanea, known as the Yellow-spotted Tree Frog, New England Swamp Frog, or Yellow-spotted Bell Frog, is a critically endangered species of frog that is endemic to southeastern Australia.[1] Its natural habitats are temperate grassland, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and ponds.[1]

Litoria moorei is a member of the Litoria aurea complex, being distinguished by cream markings on its thighs. The overall colour is pale green and the dark to black spots are highlighted by the bronze patches. The toes are entirely webbed, the species favouring permanent water bodies. The reason behind its drastic decline are unclear, but it is suspected that the disease chytridiomycosis played a major role.[1] No recorded sighting had been made since 1980 and some believed the species was extinct.[1] However, in late 2009 New South Wales Fisheries field scientist Luke Pearce located a population of the frogs, thus meaning that they are not extinct as once believed.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Litoria castanea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. 2004. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/12145. Retrieved 8 March 2010. 
  2. ^ "'Extinct' frog species found alive after 30 years". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 March 2010. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/04/2836418.htm. 

External links

Data related to Litoria castanea at Wikispecies

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