Adults. Males and females to about 30 mm. Back has scattered low bumps and is usually a uniform coppery-brown or reddish-grey, occasionally with small black spots or patches. A black stripe runs down the side of the body from the tip of the snout to the groin, below which the side and head are grey with white and black dots. There is a sharp contrast between the red or copper back and the darker sides. The belly is marbled black and white. The pupil is horizontal and iris is dark gold in the upper half and dark brown in the lower half. The tops of the arms and legs may have similar colouration to the back and are grey or black underneath. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without pads.

Larvae. Tadpoles can reach a length of up to 26 mm. Body is small, oval-shaped and dark brown or light golden-brown in colour. Iris is golden or flecked with gold with a gold ring around the pupil. Tail is about the same height as the body, arching only slightly and tapering to a rounded tip. Fins are mostly clear with darker mottling and muscle is dark brown with numerous gold clusters and an orange or gold stripe along the top. It is unknown how long the larval stage lasts, but metamorphosis has been recorded in late winter and likely occurs through spring.¹

Eggs. Eggs are laid in a nest on land under moist leaf litter, rocks, logs, or vegetation. The male guards the nest until the tadpoles hatch. The timing of hatching is dependent on rainfall, which washes the tadpoles into a nearby waterbody.¹

Habitat. Inhabits moist areas in open coastal forests, near small creeks, gullies, soaks, or springs.

Intermittent Creek

Ferny Grove, QLD

Diet. Feeds on small, ground-dwelling insects and other invertebrates.

Predation & Defence. Likely predators include reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Members of the genus Pseudophryne produce a distasteful or toxic alkaloid called pseudophrynamine and are able to sequester another alkaloid, pumiliotoxin, from their diet.^3,5

Call is a drawn out, ratchet-like ‘rrrrick’ that speeds up and rises in pitch at the end. Males call from below cover on slopes beside creeks, gullies, or areas that are likely to flood. Breeding season is September-March, but may call throughout the year after rain.

Least Concern (IUCN Red List 2004)

Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.⁴

Not Listed nationally (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)

Least Concern in Queensland (Nature Conservation Act 1992)

1. Anstis, M. (2017). Tadpoles and Frogs of Australia. Second Edition. New Holland Publishers, Sydney.
2. Cogger, H.G. (2018). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Updated 7th Edition. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne.
3. Daly, J.W., Garraffo, H.M., Pannell, L.K & Spande, T.F. 1990. Alkaloids from Australian frogs (Myobatrachidae): Pseudophryamines and pumiliotoxins. Journal of Natural Products 53(2). 407-421.
4. Hero, J.-M. (2004). Pseudophryne raveni. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T58050A11722358. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T58050A11722358.en. Downloaded on 04 June 2020.
5. Smith, B.P, Tyler, M.J., Kaneko, T., Garraffo, H.M., Spande, T.F. & Daly, J.W. 2002. Evidence for biosynthesis of pseudophrynamine alkaloids by an Australian Myobatrachid frog (Pseudophryne) and for sequestration of dietary pumiliotoxins. Journal of Natural Products 65(4). 439-447. 
6. Atlas of Living Australia occurrence download at https://doi.org/10.26197/5e9a2fc401f43 accessed on Sat Apr 18 08:37:47 AEST 2020.