Litoria castanea

Litoria castanea

Critically endangered, possibly extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Hylidae
Genus:Litoria
Species: L. castanea
Binomial name
Litoria castanea
Synonyms
  • Litoria flavipunctata Courtice & Grigg, 1975
  • Litoria flavipunctata Steindachner, 1867

Litoria castanea, known as the yellow-spotted tree frog, New England swamp frog, tablelands bell frog or yellow-spotted bell frog.[2] It 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]

Ecology

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 reasons behind its drastic decline are unclear, but the disease chytridiomycosis is suspected to have played a major role.[1] No recorded sighting had been made since 1980, and the species was believed to be extinct.[1] However, in late 2009 New South Wales Fisheries field scientist Luke Pearce located a surviving population of the frogs.[3] Scientists acted quickly to establish a small "insurance" colony. Soon after, the wild colony was eradicated due to two consecutive floods and an outbreak of chytrid fungus. Following a breeding program at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, in early 2018 a colony of yellow-spotted bell frogs were released in a secret location in the New South Wales southern tablelands.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Jean-Marc Hero; Harry Hines; Frank Lemckert; Peter Robertson (2004). "Litoria castanea". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2004: e.T12145A3325983. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T12145A3325983.en. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  2. ↑ Michael Tyler & Frank Knight (2011). "Yellow-spotted Tree Frog". Field Guide to the Frogs of Australia. Csiro Publishing. New England swamp frog
  3. ↑ "'Extinct' frog species found alive after 30 years". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 March 2010.
  4. ↑ "Taronga Zoo releases colony of critically endangered bell frogs". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 March 2018.

Data related to Litoria castanea at Wikispecies

  • "Litoria castanea". Australian Frog Database. Frogs Australia Network. 23 February 2005. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Dead link, soon to be restored see http://www.frogsaustralia.net.au/.


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