Frogs belong to a class of animals called amphibians. This is a large group worldwide which evolved from a group of fishes around 270 million years ago.

Amphibians include frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and caecilians. Frogs are Australia’s only native amphibians.

Amphibians are ectothermic or cold-blooded which means they cannot generate their own body heat and rely on external sources in their surroundings for warmth. They also have soft glandular skin, and a lifecycle which usually begins as a larval stage in water before a metamorphosis into an adult living on land.

Australia is ranked number 13 in the world for the highest number of frog species with approximately 219 different frog species found here and 93.5% of those species being endemic to Australia, which means they occur no where else in the world.  And although new species are regularly being discovered, in the last 40 years, at least 12 frog species have disappeared from Australia with a further 47 of our remaining species considered threatened.

Frog calls on this website have been provided courtesy of David Stewart, Nature Sound from his CD "Australian Frog Calls: Tropical North-east".

Australian Frog Families

Australia has four families of frogs, all of these families occur in North Queensland’s Wet Tropics region:

1. Treefrogs (Hylidae)

Displaying huge diversity in behaviour and appearance this family is often referred to as treefrogs because many of the species develop large finger and toe pads which enable them to become excellent climbers while other species remain on the ground as they are long limbed and lack well developed finger and toe pads.

Treefrogs occur in the wetter parts of Australia, especially the north and east. Adults lay their eggs in water with tadpoles emerging only when developed but will remain in water until they metamorphose.

Common Green Treefrog (Litoria caerulea) Listen: A Common Green Treefrog male calls for a mate. Location: North Queensland during wet season breeding choruses. The smaller Common Green Treefrog male holds onto the female’s back while she hops down to the water to lay her eggs. Location: North Queensland during wet season breeding choruses. Attractive and iconic Australian frog that is often associated with human dwellings such as bathrooms, downpipes, toilets, water tanks and troughs. Males (66-77mm) are usually much smaller than females (60-110mm). Heard mainly during the wet season, a male’s mating call is a deep, repeated ‘crawk, crawk’. A popular favourite amongst most people that epitomises a green frog.

Eastern Sedgefrog (Litoria fallax) Listen: The Eastern Sedgefrog small and cute. Location: On a palm in North Queensland. A small green frog with a slender build. Common along Queensland’s tropical coast and usually associated with vegetation bordering swamps, streams, ponds and farm dams. Males (22-26mm) are slightly smaller than females (25-32mm). Often found in large numbers where males call, a very high-pitched upward inflecting ‘wreek-pip-pip’ usually while sitting on vegetation. An often heard but rarely seen frog that is common amongst reeds and bulrushes that surround wetlands.

Green-eyed Treefrog (Litoria genimaculata) Listen: A Green-eyed Treefrog displays his fantastic skin pattern that blends into rainforest vegetation. Location: Upland rainforest near Mt Lewis. The smaller male Green-eyed Treefrog on the back of the female hoping to breed in a nearby stream. Location: Upland rainforest near Mt Lewis. A colourful and beautifully patterned mid-sized frog with distinct green eyes found mainly in upland rainforests of the Wet Tropics region. Classified as Rare by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act. Males (30-41mm) are smaller than females (40-52mm). These frogs are usually associated with rocky creek beds or streamside vegetation where males advertise for mates with a series of soft clicks or pops.

Graceful Treefrog (Litoria gracilenta) Listen: The Graceful Treefrog male has a very loud call as they puff up their vocal sac to an enormous size. An attractive, medium-sized bright green frog found throughout the Wet Tropics region. Usually associated with coastal habitats and suburban gardens. Males (31-42mm) are usually slightly smaller than females (32-45mm). Male frogs form noisy choruses after heavy rain and emit a long, growl-like ‘aarrc” call.

White-lipped Treefrog (Litoria infrafrenata) Listen: The magnificent White-lipped Treefrog has sticky pads on its toes and fingers that provide it with excellent climbing skills. An attractive, medium-sized bright green frog found throughout the Wet Tropics region. Usually associated with coastal habitats and suburban gardens. Males (31-42mm) are usually slightly smaller than females (32-45mm). Male frogs form noisy choruses after heavy rain and emit a long, growl-like ‘aarrc” call.

Stony-creek Frog (Litoria jungguy) The true colour form of a rusty red Stony-creek Frog. Location: The Atherton Tablelands A male and female Stony-creek Frog. The male dramatically changes his colour from red to bright yellow during the breeding season. Location: Near Bloomfield A moderately-sized streamlined frog that is common around rocky streams throughout the region. Males (37-43mm) are much smaller than females (55-63mm) and vary in colour but are often bright yellow during breeding season (see above). Male frogs lack a vocal sac to amplify their call but they emit a soft, purring trill ‘crew, crewwk, crewwwk’ repeated for a few seconds.

Waterfall Frog (Litoria nannotis) The pattern of the Waterfall Frog is striking on this male, distinguished by his black nuptial pad on the inside finger of the front limb. Location: Mt Lewis, many years ago. A beautifully patterned frog that was once widespread throughout the Wet Tropics rainforests. This male of the species has a ‘nuptial pad’ on the inside finger of the front limb which acts like a Velcro grip when he holds onto a female (called amplexus) for breeding. Since 1990 this species has disappeared from altitudes higher than 450 metres above sea level. This species was a common sight in the wild near waterfalls and cascades but unfortunately it is now rarely encountered. Males (40-48mm) are slightly smaller than females (49-55mm) and have a repeated ‘crawk, crawk, crawk’ or a gentle, popping, slow growl-like call. Now classified as Endangered by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act and The World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN).

Striped Rocketfrog (Litoria nasuta) Listen: The Striped Rocketfrog has long and powerful hind legs. A common long-legged, stream-lined frog found across most habitats within the Wet Tropics region. This species lives near coastal streams, ponds and lakes where it breeds during the wet season. Males (33-45mm) are usually smaller than females (36-55) and their call is a series of repetitive ‘clucs’ followed by ‘weks’. The best place to see this species is around farm dams and roadside ditches but are capable of bounding long distances with their legs.

Mountain Mistfrog (Litoria nyakalensis) A male Mountain Mistfrog sucking in his vocal sac. Location: Mt Lewis, many years ago, when it would call all night. A moderate-sized frog associated with fast-flowing streams in upland rainforest areas where they would sit on rocks or low overhanging vegetation in or adjacent to creeks. Males (30-33mm) were smaller than females (up to 47mm) and their call was a soft, popping growl repeated slowly. This species is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and has not been seen in the wild since 1990 and is believed to be now extinct.

Common Mistfrog (Litoria rheocola) Listen: A Common Mistfrog similar in appearance to the Mountain Mistfrog, distinguished only by its call. Location: Mt Lewis, many years ago. A moderate-sized frog associated with fast-flowing streams in upland rainforest areas where they would sit on rocks or low overhanging vegetation in or adjacent to creeks. Since 1990 this species has disappeared from altitudes higher than 450 metres above sea level. Males (29-32mm) are slightly smaller than females and repeatedly call a single, long ‘wreek’ during the wet season. This species is now classified as Endangered by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act and The World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN).

Orange Thighed Treefrog (Litoria xanthomera) Listen: An Orange Thighed Treefrog calling for a mate. Location: Cape Tribulation (note the greedy mosquitoes on top of the poor frog’s head) An amplexing pair of Orange Thighed Treefrogs Location: The Atherton Tablelands A beautiful moderate-sized green frog that is relatively common throughout the rainforest of the Wet Tropics region and often encountered during the wet season Usually found alongside creeks and roadside gutters or beside pools during the wet season. Males (40-56mm) are only slightly smaller than females (43-55mm). Males form large breeding congregations during the wet season where they emit a slow, repetitious growl that increases in volume and ends in a series of thrills.

Australian Lace-lid (Nyctimystes dayi) Listen: The Australian Lace-lid has an unusual eye covering that gives this unique frog its name. These attractive mid-sized frogs are highly variable in colour and pattern. They live throughout rainforest areas of the Wet Tropics region, adjacent to fast-flowing streams where they can be found on rocks, boulders or low overhanging vegetation. Since 1990 this species has disappeared from altitudes higher than 450 metres above sea level. Males (30-42mm) are much smaller than females (45-55mm) and have a short, sharp ‘ee’ call that is repeated every five or six seconds. This species is now classified as Endangered by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act and The World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN).

2. Southern Frogs (Myobatrachidae)

This family only occurs in the Australian region and is found throughout the mainland of Australia and Tasmania. Their behaviour and appearance is hugely diverse. While most are burrowing or ground dwelling, a few live around streams and waterfalls and sometimes entirely in the water, they are not tree climbers. This group also have a huge variety of life cycles. The development of the egg and larval stages can happen in the water, a brood pouch or the stomach.

Ornate Burrowing Frog (Limnodynastes ornatus) Listen: The male Ornate Burrowing Frog is calling while floating on the water’s surface Location: A park in Cairns A pair of Ornate Burrowing Frogs breeding in the shallows of a pond Location:A park in Cairns A short and stout medium-sized burrowing frog with protruding eyes. Enormous variation in colour and patterning. Males (29-37mm) are slightly smaller than females (35-42mm). Found in a wide range of habitats they seem to appear from nowhere in large numbers around temporary pools immediately after heavy rain. The male’s call is a slowly repeated ‘unk’.

Northern Barred Frog (Mixophyes schevilli) Listen: A young Northern Barred Frog emerges after spending months in the water as a tadpole. A fully grown adult Northern Barred Frog displays his striking barred legs. A large ground-dwelling frog commonly found throughout rainforest areas of the Wet Tropics region. They are often encountered on the forest floor adjacent to fast-flowing streams and nearby pools. This species has very large tadpoles that can remain in streams for over 12 months. Males (64-75mm) are smaller than females (71-87mm) and have a deep ‘wock wock’ call that is repeated at regular intervals.

Sharp-snouted Dayfrog (Taudactylus acutirostris) Few photos have been taken of this now critically endangered and possibly extinct Sharp-snouted Dayfrog. Location: Mt Lewis over 20 years ago when these frogs were in every stream on the mountain. A small frog with a distinctive pointed snout that was once very common in upland rainforest areas in the Wet Tropics region (up to 100 frogs per 100 metres of stream) during the day where it could be found amongst rocks in and beside streams. Males (22-27mm) were slightly smaller than females (29-30mm) and would emit a sharp pitched tapping sound repeated a few times in quick succession during the day and night. This species is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN. It has not been seen in the wild since 1990 and is now believed to be extinct.

Northern Tinkerfrog (Taudactylus rheophilus) Unfortunately the sound of Northern Tinkerfrog no longer rings out through the upland rainforest. A small, well pattern frog that was once very common in upland rainforest areas where it could be found under rocks, stones, logs and roots beside fast-flowing streams. Males (24-27mm) were slightly smaller than females (24-31mm) and their call was a soft repeated tapping, gentle rattling sound, or ‘tink tink’. This species is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN and has not been seen in the wild since 1990 and is now believed to be extinct.

3. Narrow-mouthed Frogs (Microhylidae)

A large group worldwide, in Australia this family occurs in wet forests of far north-east Queensland and monsoon forests in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. These tiny frogs are just a few centimetres in length, they do not have webbed toes and are mainly ground dwelling but are considered semi tree climbers. All species lay their eggs on land and are sometimes guarded by the male. The tadpole develops and metamorphosis takes place inside the egg. They emerge from the egg as a fully formed frog.

Common Nursery-Frog (Cophixalus ornatus) Listen: The Common Nursery-Frog has pads on its fingers which allow it to climb, when it occasionally gets called the ‘mini treefrog’. A small, highly variable frog belonging to a group known as Microhylids where all but a few of the Australian species live in tropical rainforests of the region. Usually found on the ground beneath ground cover. Males (17-27mm) are slightly smaller than females (22-30mm). During the wet season males call (a short beep) from the ground or slightly raised positions on vegetation Like all Microhylid frogs, females lay eggs in moist leaf litter and tadpole development is completed within the egg. A small and difficult to find frog (as are all Microhylids). You hear them in the forest throughout the wet season but rarely encounter them.

4. Bullfrogs (Ranidae)

A large family of frogs worldwide, only one species from this family occurs in Australia and is found in Cape York, North Queensland. This species commonly known as the Wood Frog or Bullfrog is a ground dwelling species found in or around permanent water sources. This species is unique in Australia as males have twin vocal sacs used for calling.

Australian Bullfrog (Rana daemeli) Listen: The Australian Bullfrog is the only Australian representative of a large world-wide group of frogs. The Australian Bullfrog has twin vocal sacs that come out of the throat like water wings and distinguish this species from all other Australian frogs. The only Australian representative of a large world-wide group of frogs. A unique Australian frog where males have characteristic twin vocal sacs when calling. Found throughout the Wet Tropics region alongside permanent streams, ponds, swamps and lagoons. Males (43-58mm) are usually smaller than females (58-81mm). Males call during the wet season with a distinctive series of ‘yaps’ and ‘quacks’.