Amphibians of Western Australia facts for kids
The Amphibians of Western Australia are mostly frogs! In Western Australia (WA), you'll find two main groups, or families, of frogs. Out of 78 different types of frogs found here, 38 are special because they live only in WA. Most of these unique frogs live in the southwest part of the state. You can find frogs in many places, from dry desert areas and coastlines to places with lots of water like wetlands.
It's great news that frogs in Western Australia haven't had the same big problems as frogs in many other parts of the world. While many frog species globally have disappeared, no frog species in WA has become extinct. This is especially good because Australia has had more than half of the recent animal extinctions worldwide.
However, some WA frogs are still in danger. Three species are listed as Threatened, and two are Vulnerable. One, called Anstisia alba, is even Critically Endangered. The biggest dangers to these frogs include a fungal disease called Chytridiomycosis (though it hasn't been found in WA frogs yet) and damage to their homes from changes in land use and fires. Even with these challenges, some frogs have found new places to live, like dams or even suburban gardens! Some frogs, like the Litoria moorei (Motorbike frog) and Limnodynastes dorsalis (Pobblebonk), are very common and easy to spot. Others only live in very specific places.
Frogs live in many different types of habitats. Many frogs in the Southwest, like some from the Myobatrachidae family, are found only in that region. The Cyclorana frogs (which are part of the Hylidae family) live in the northern parts of WA. These frogs live on the ground and can even burrow into it. They are a type of tree frog, similar in body and how they reproduce to other tree frogs in the Litoria group.
Scientists have even found old frog fossils in the northwest of WA, showing that amphibians have been around for a very long time!
New Frogs in Town
Sometimes, animals that aren't native to a place end up living there in the wild. We call these "naturalised species." In Western Australia, the only non-native amphibian that has become naturalised is the Limnodynastes tasmaniensis (Spotted Grass Frog). It arrived in Kununurra in the 1970s, probably when some houses were moved from Adelaide.
Another frog, the Bufo marinus (Cane Toad), is a big concern. It's already in the Northern Territory and is slowly moving closer to WA's border. Scientists expect it to spread into Western Australia soon.
Different Kinds of Frogs
Western Australia has a wide variety of frogs, belonging to two main families: Myobatrachidae and Hylidae.
The Myobatrachidae family includes many different types of frogs. Some scientists even think some of its sub-groups should be their own families! This family includes frogs like:
- Heleioporus
- Limnodynastes
- Neobatrachus
- Notaden
- Arenophryne
- Crinia
- Geocrinia
- Metacrinia
- Myobatrachus
- Pseudophryne
- Spicospina
- Uperoleia
The Hylidae family is known for its tree frogs. In WA, you'll find two main groups from this family:
- Cyclorana (Water-holding frogs, often ground-dwelling)
- Litoria (Many different kinds of tree frogs)
These families contain all the different frog species you can find across Western Australia, each with its own unique features and habitats.
Prehistory
Scientists have found fossils of amphibians in Western Australia, showing that these amazing creatures have been around for a very long time! One example is the Deltasaurus kimberleyensis, found in the Blina shale area.
See Also
