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Western Spotted/ Spotted burrowing frog of
Western Australia |
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Western Spotted/ Spotted burrowing frog of
Western Australia |
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This gorgeous frog puffed up like a round ball in the middle of the road, outside Dryandra woodlands in the southwest wheatbelt, as I came driving along. As soon as I stopped the vehicle it deflated and just sat there and let us enjoy it. It is found throughout the wheatbelt. It is a large burrowing frog. Males are up to 77mm in length, females up to 85mm in length. |
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We found two of these frogs on this night. This one was found in Wandoo woodlands and the other frog was seen on the side of the road in farmland on York Williams Rd near Williams. The sound you are hearing is of the Western spotted frog recorded at the Old mill dam in dryandra that night. It has unwebbed fingers and partially webbed toes. Its legs are stocky. |
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The skin was slightly bumpy and the spots were a light yellow colour, they can be creamy white too. It was a chocolate brown on top and an off white colour underneath. This is the second Western spotted frog we found that night, it was slightly smaller. |
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What does this frog eat?
It eats anything it can catch that it can swallow. Being a semi arid frog grasshoppers would be a common meal. |
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Life Cycle The males dig the burrows in
low lying areas that get flooded after autumn and winter rains. The
males call from within the burrows and try and attract a female to come
inside. The males only call for around a month after the first rains
in autumn. If she likes the sound of him she will deposit the eggs
at the bottom of the burrow in a foam mass. The eggs are large.
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I loved its large raised eyes and smiley mouth. You can still see some sand on its nose from coming up out of the ground after sunset. Go Here to see our video of this cutie. |
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This is the second frog we found that evening at Dryandra in the wheatbelt. They didn't mind the cameras but they didn't like to be held as we tried to take them off the roads. We found they did a small hop but also walked. Apart from it being cold and looking like a frog it felt we were holding a mammal. |
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The Whopping frog has a much more rapid call. |
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Go Here to see our video of this frog burrowing down backwards. Due to web space we can not show you the whole process. |
Update;
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In November we were at Tutanning Nature Reserve where we came across five Western Spotted frogs at night. It was not raining but there was threat of rain (we had seen reproductive ants out the day before). What surprised us is that these frogs seemed to be a long way from any water (we couldn't find any water) and that the anticipation of rain may have made them surface as I haven't seen these frogs here before. None were calling. There were three on the western side of the reserve and two on the eastern boundary of the reserve. |
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I have not added this photograph here to be gross but to show you how this frog is coping quite well with one eye. The missing eye had healed over with no sign of infection. The frog looked to be in good condition compared to the other Western Spotted frogs we saw that night at Tutanning Nature Reserve. It also shows that the frog has lived long enough for its wound to heal. |
This cutie was seen at Boyagin Rock in the wheatbelt in October. |
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Other places I have heard or seen this frog; Boyagin Rock Reserve off Brookton Hwy near Brookton, at the picnic area in late April. And I saw this frog here in late September and on York Williams Rd. Go to our HOTSPOTS to see a page on Boyagin Rock Nature Reserve.
Text "Frogs Of Western
Australia" by M J Tyler, L A Smith, R E Johnstone.
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All Content, written
and graphical Copyright © Wildlife Education Services 2003. |
