Litoria raniformis
Southern Bell Frog
Conservation Status
Calling Period
Description
A large species of frog that can reach up to 10 cm in body length. It has a green- brown back, with brown or bronze patches, and sometimes a pale longitudinal stripe along the middle. There is also a cream-coloured stripe from behind the eye that widens along the sides, and often a dark brown stripe from the nostril to the eye. The belly is white. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. The groin and backs of the thighs are bright blue, and sometimes have small, bright yellow patches. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are fully webbed, both with small discs.
Breeding Biology
Eggs are laid as clusters at, or under, the surface of the water in permanent ponds, dams, swamps, and creek pools. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 9.5 cm and are clear yellow in colour, becoming green as they grow. They often hide in vegetation at the shallow edges of water bodies, and take 12 to 15 months to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring and summer.
Similar Species
Looks very similar to Litoria aurea and Litoria castanea in its distribution, but has rougher back skin compared to Litoria aurea, and has fewer bright yellow patches on the back of the thighs compared to Litoria castanea.
Images
Photo: Stephen Mahony
Photo: Sean Severs
Photo: Grant Webster
Calls
By: Jim Lyall
By: Murray Littlejohn
Distribution
Formerly common throughout all of VIC, eastern TAS, southern NSW, and along the Murray River valley in SA, but has declined severely due to the amphibian chytrid fungus, and is now only found in small isolated populations in VIC, northeastern TAS, and in the Murray River valley.