The Amphibians of Western Australia are represented by two families of frogs. Of the 78 species found, most within the southwest, 38 are unique to the state. 15 of the 30 genera of Australian frogs occur; from arid regions and coastlines to permanent wetlands.

Frog species in Western Australia have not suffered the major declines of populations and diversity of many parts of the world. No species is recorded as having become extinct, despite over 50% of recent worldwide extinctions being Australian.

Three species are listed as Threatened, two as Vulnerable and Anstisia alba as Critically endangered. Threats to the species include the fungal disease Chytridiomycosis, though no infection has yet been recorded, and damage to habitat from altered land use and fire regimes. These processes have caused decline in many populations, however, some have successfully colonized newly created habitats such as dams or suburban gardens. Species such as Litoria moorei (Motorbike frog) and Limnodynastes dorsalis (Pobblebonk) are very common and well known, while others are restricted to particular habitats in their distribution range.

The frogs inhabit a wide range of habitat and many in the Southwest, such as Myobatrachidae sp., occur only in that region. The Cyclorana (Family: Hylidae) are ground dwelling and burrowing species occurring in the North of the state. These are tree frogs, closely related in structure and reproductive biology to the other Hylidae genus - Litoria.

Fossil records of Amphibia have been identified in the north west of the state.

Naturalised species Currently, the only non-native amphibian naturalised in Western Australia (WA) is Limnodynastes tasmaniensis (Spotted Grass Frog), which was introduced to Kununurra in the 1970s, apparently during the relocation of several hundred transportable homes from Adelaide. However, Bufo marinus (Cane Toad) occurs in the Northern Territory close to Western Australia's border, and is expected to spread into Western Australia.

Diversity

Myobatrachidae contains three sub-families (some taxonomists them as individual families), two of which occur in Western Australia. Two members of Opisthodon are included here under their synonyms in Limnodynastes. The tree frog family, Hylidae, contains a subfamily, Pelodryadinae (Austro-Papuan tree frogs), and two genera occur. LimnodynastinaeHeleioporus (Gray, 1841) Limnodynastes (Fitzinger, 1843) Neobatrachus (Peters, 1863) Notaden (Günther, 1873) Opisthodon Steindachner, 1867MyobatrachinaeArenophryne Crinia (Tschudi, 1838) Geocrinia (Blake, 1973) Metacrinia (Parker, 1940) Myobatrachus (Schlegel In Gray, 1850) Pseudophryne (Fitzinger, 1843) Spicospina (Roberts, et al., 1997) Uperoleia (Gray, 1841schudi, 1838)PelodryadinaeCyclorana Litoria

This table is a summary of the species occurring in Western Australia, giving their common name, distribution and conservation status on the IUCN Red List.

+ Myobatrachidae and Hylidae Taxa Description Distribution Red List Genus: Arenophryne One species Arenophryne rotunda Fossorial frog that uses strong arms to (unusually) burrow forward. Coastal, Kalbarri to Shark Bay LC Genus: Bufo Bufo marinus Cane toad Entering WA at 30 km per year LC Genus: Crinia Crinia bilingua Bilingual Froglet Crinia georgiana Quacking Froglet Crinia glauerti Glauert's Froglet Crinia insignifera Western Sign-bearing Froglet Crinia pseudinsignifera False Western Froglet Crinia subinsignifera Small Western Froglet Genus:Cyclorana (Family: Hylidae) Water-holding frogs. Ground dwelling and hibernating tree frogs. LC Cyclorana australis Giant Frog (Gray, 1842) Kimberley Cyclorana cryptotis Hidden-eared Frog (Parker, 1940) Kimberley region Cyclorana cultripes Knife-footed Frog (Parker, 1940) Kimberley region Cyclorana longipes Long-footed Frog (Tyler & Martin, 1977) Kimberley region Cyclorana maini Main's frog (Tyler & Martin, 1977) Central west Australia. Range: Winning Pool, Kumpupintil Lake to Morawa and Laverton Cyclorana platycephala Water-holding frog (Günther, 1873) Wide distribution in the central west. Cyclorana vagitus Wailing Frog (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Kimberley Genus: Geocrinia formerly Crinia Southwest Australia LC except: Geocrinia alba White-bellied Frog CR Geocrinia leai Lea's frog Geocrinia lutea Walpole's frog, Nornalup Frog (Main, 1963) NT Geocrinia rosea, (Harrison, 1927) Karri frog, Roseate frog Geocrinia vitellina Orange-bellied frog, Yellow-bellied frog VU Genus: Heleioporus Burrowing frogs. All except H. australiacus are WA endemic. LC Heleioporus albopunctatus (Gray, 1841) Western Spotted Frog Southwest Australia Heleioporus barycragus (Lee, 1967)Western Marsh Frog.Southwest Australia Heleioporus eyrei (Gray, 1845) Moaning Frog (eyrei) Southwest Australia Heleioporus inornatus (Lee & Main, 1954) Plains Frog. Heleioporus psammophilus (Lee & Main, 1954) Sand Frog Genus:Litoria (Family: Hylidae) Genus of tree frog ranging from Australia and New Guinea to Indonesia. LC except: Litoria adelaidensis Slender Tree Frog Southwest Australia Litoria bicolor Northern Dwarf Tree Frog Kimberly region Litoria caerulea Green Tree Frog Litoria cavernicola Name Cave-dwelling Tree Frog DD Litoria coplandi Name Copland's Rock Frog Litoria cyclorhyncha Spotted-thighed Frog Litoria dahli Dahl's Aquatic Frog Litoria inermis Floodplain Frog Litoria meiriana Rockhole Frog Litoria microbelos Javelin Frog Litoria moorei Motorbike Frog, Bell Frog. Litoria nasuta Rocket Frog Litoria pallida Pale Frog Litoria rothii Roth's Tree Frog or Northern Laughing Tree Frog North west Litoria rubella The Desert Tree Frog or Little Red Tree Frog Common to northern half of state. Litoria splendida Magnificent Tree Frog or Splendid Tree Frog Litoria tornieri Tornier's Frog Litoria watjulumensis Wotjulum or Watjulum Frog Genus: Limnodynastes Limnodynastes convexiusculus Marbled Marsh Frog Limnodynastes depressus Flat-headed Frog Limnodynastes dorsalis Pobblebonk, Western Banjo Frog Limnodynastes lignarius Carpenter Frog Limnodynastes ornatusOrnate Burrowing Frog (Synonym: Opisthodon ornatus) Limnodynastes spenceri Spencer's Burrowing Frog (Synonym: Opisthodon spenceri) Genus: Metacrinia One species Restricted habitat Metacrinia nichollsi Nicholl's Toadlet Occurring between Dunsborough and Albany. LC Genus: Myobatrachus Myobatrachus gouldi Turtle Frog LC Genus: Neobatrachus LC Neobatrachus albipes White-footed Trilling Frog Neobatrachus aquilonius Northern Burrowing Frog Neobatrachus centralis Desert Trilling Frog Neobatrachus fulvus Tawny Trilling Frog Neobatrachus kunapalari Kunapalari Frog Neobatrachus pelobatoides Humming Frog Neobatrachus sutor Shoemaker Frog Neobatrachus wilsmorei Goldfields Bullfrog Genus: Notaden Notaden melanoscaphus Northern Spadefoot Toad Notaden nichollsi Desert Spadefoot Toad Notaden weigeli Weigel's Toad DD Genus: Pseudophryne Toadlets LC Pseudophryne douglasi Douglas's Toadlet Pseudophryne guentheri Gunther's Toadlet Pseudophryne occidentalis Orange-crowned Toadlet Genus: Spicospina Restricted habitat Spicospina flammocaerulea Sunset Frog, harlequin Frog, mountain road Frog Walpole VU D2 Genus: Uperoleia Toadlets Restricted habitat LC expect: Uperoleia aspera Derby Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia borealis Northern Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia crassa Fat Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia glandulosa Glandular Toadlet (Davis, Mahoney and Roberts, 1986) Uperoleia lithomoda Stonemason Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia marmorata Marbled Toadlet (Gray, 1841) DD Uperoleia micromeles Tanami Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia minima Small Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia mjobergi Mjoberg's Toadlet (Andersson, 1913) Uperoleia russelli Russell's Toadlet (Loveridge, 1933) Uperoleia talpa Mole Toadlet (Davies & Martin, 1981) Uperoleia trachyderma Blacksoil Toadlet (Tyler, Davies & Martin, 1981)

Prehistory Fossils of Amphibians have been found in Western Australia.

Genus Scientific name Common name/s Distribution DeltasaurusDeltasaurus kimberleyensis Blina shale

See also List of amphibians of Western Australia Amphibians of Australia

References