Southern Toadlet

[vicherps]

Last week and earlier tonight I made my way to a national park in Melbourne's east with the intention of photographing a Southern Toadlet (Pseudophryne semimarmorata) a vulnerable species in Victoria and a increasingly uncommon frog in the Melbourne area (They have been on a increased decline throughout there range main problems include habitat destruction and the chytrid fungus). After hearing there explosive short call last week and not been able to find one I was determined to find one this week. My dad heard one calling right next to him so i searched the leaf litter and some rocks. One of the smaller rocks revealed a Southern Toadlet it tried to walk away from may (at times doing little hops but Pseudophrynes prefer walking). I took some photographs it had a striking ventral pattern although i have seen nicer specimens with a more orange-red colouration on the limbs and throat. Anyway i hope you enjoy the pics.
cheers Micah

 

[Channaz]

Well done Vicherps. It's a beautiful creature and a terrible pity they are so hard to find these days.

 

[vicherps]

Well despite their decline they are also a secretive species and they stop calling once you get within a certain distance making them hard to find. Their short and not particularly loud call also made it hard to find one.

 

[eipper]

I am sorry this is pretty bad. This is a species that by your own admission you understand their conservation status and yet you still rock roll and shift leaf litter for them. If you disturb a nest of this species the males will abandon it. With the limited recruitment this species has had over the past 5 years this has a potentially devastating effect. Think more about your motives about chasing critters and effects you can have. I will ask one question though did you and your dad scrub with virkon (or the like) prior to entering the n/p and upon leaving?

Scott

 

[vicherps]

I am sorry this is pretty bad. This is a species that by your own admission you understand their conservation status and yet you still rock roll and shift leaf litter for them. If you disturb a nest of this species the males will abandon it. With the limited recruitment this species has had over the past 5 years this has a potentially devastating effect. Think more about your motives about chasing critters and effects you can have. I will ask one question though did you and your dad scrub with virkon (or the like) prior to entering the n/p and upon leaving?

Scott

Hi Scott in the state of Victoria its vulnerable according to the vertebrate advisory list (dse 2007), the rocks we lifted we put back exactly where we found them. The one I spotted was actually near the edge of a path and I checked the leaf litter around there and put it back. My dad always washes our clothes and shoes with rain water and leaves them in the sun to disinfect for few days. We wash them after we leave the site as well. If there is another way u suggest I should do it I will take it on board.
cheers, Micah.

 

[eipper]

My dad heard one calling right next to him so i searched the leaf litter and some rocks. One of the smaller rocks revealed a Southern Toadlet it tried to walk away from may

By your own admission this was not out and about

This is a species in known decline, suffers from Chytridiomycosis and already under significant pressure and yet you still potentially damage nests and whole populations by not adhering to standard operating procedures when it comes to working with frogs (scrubbing with a fungicide between sites).

 

[vicherps]

Scott I only went to one site I didn't go to any other sites. The frog was under a rock and there was no burrow/nest/depression. Yes I no that the main reasons of decline are chytrid and also habitat destruction. So let me get this straight I lifted a few rocks and I put them back, I looked through some leaf litter I put it back and I only went to one site and before my dad and I went to that one site we wash our clothes and and boots with rain water and let it disinfect in the sun. I will take your advice on the virkon from now on ok. To people looking at this thread It was a male because it's belly was quite granular as opposed to a more smooth surface in females