The Howard Springs toadlet (Uperoleia daviesae), also known as the Howard River toadlet, Davies's toadlet or the Darwin sandsheet frog, is a species of small frog that is endemic to Australia. The specific epithet daviesae honours Australian herpetologist Margaret M. Davies.
| Howard Springs toadlet | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Myobatrachidae |
| Genus: | Uperoleia |
| Species: | U. daviesae
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| Binomial name | |
| Uperoleia daviesae Young, Tyler & Kent, 2005[2]
| |
Description
editThe species grows to about 25 mm in length (SVL). The upper body is grey to grey-brown. The belly is pale pink, speckled white. The throat of the male is dark grey. The fingers are unwebbed; the toes only slightly webbed. The backs of the thighs and groin are red to orange.[3] The call of species is short and raspy.[4]
Behaviour
editBreeding takes place during the wet season. Eggs are attached singly to submerged vegetation in shallow pools and flooded grassland.[3]
Distribution and habitat
editThe species' known range is limited to the vicinity of Howard Springs, some 30 km south-east of the city of Darwin in the tropical Top End of Australia's Northern Territory.[3] There the frogs inhabit sandplain heathland, within the Howard and Elizabeth River catchments, that is inundated during the wet season.[4]
References
edit- ^ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Uperoleia daviesae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T136157A78432339. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ Young, Jeanne E; Tyler, Michael J; Kent, Sally A (2005). "Diminutive New Species of Uperoleia Grey (Anura: Myobatrachidae) from the Vicinity of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia". Journal of Herpetology. 39 (4): 603–609. doi:10.1670/77-05A.1. JSTOR 4092850. S2CID 85644413.
- ^ a b c "Uperoleia daviesae". FrogID. Australian Museum. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Howard River Toadlet" (PDF). Threatened Species of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Government, Darwin. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
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