Introduction

A species report on Litoria willcoxii is problematic as the species formerly known as L. lesueuri has been recently split into sister species. The species present on Magnetic Island is most likely Litoria willcoxii (E. Vanderduys pers. comm), however without genetic testing, at this time, this is impossible to say for sure. Information used in this report will be taken ( as much as feasible) from as much Mid - Nth Australian material as possible. It may therefore contain material that may better relate to the sister species L. jungguy (but will omit material based on the new southern L. lesueuri). The researchers who have made the distinction have done so at a genetic level and find no distinctive morphological differences between the three. Much of the information in this report is taken from the original publication defining the split.

Taxonomy

(Donellan and Mahoney 2004,Tyler and Davies 1978,)

Litoria lesueuri has been split into separate species: L. lesueuri,L. jungguy and L. willcoxii by examination of karotypes. There is little or no morphological difference between the species and lack of recordings (to date) of the very indistinct calls of this species makes distinguishing them by call unreliable. The closest species to L. willcoxii becomes L. junggay from which the only method of choosing which species is being dealt with is by where the specimen is found. Included here therefore, is the original map showing the localities where specimens whose karotypes were examined were collected. Although originally classified (as L. lesueuri) as a separate species group from the Boorelensis Group it is now considered to be the same species complex.

Description

(Donellan and Mahoney 2004 (lectotype L. willcoxii), Tyler,1982, Cogger. 1988( as L. lesueuri), Barker et al., 1995 (as multi species),Tyler and Davies 1978( as L. lesueuri), (Woodhams, 2000( as L. lesueuri)

L. willcoxii is a medium sized muscular frog. It has long slender fingers with slightly expanded discs and long back legs with knees that obviously overlap its elbows when adpressed.
Dorsal surface ranges from smooth yellowish fawn, or a fawn to brown colour. Irregular dorsal flecking of a darker brown colour or large irregular spotting may be present or absent even within the same population. Shoulder fold is present and obvious. Dorsal surfaces of limbs are a lemony yellow in colour which will brighten in breeding males. Flanks of males in breeding colours may also be yellow and this may disappear if stressed (pers. obs). Eye is medium-small with horizontal pupils. Tympanum is a small oval shape roughly half of the eye diameter. It is darker than surrounding skin and therefore obvious.

Small vomerine teeth are present and point backwards between and from the front of the choanae. There are black markings present on rear surface of the thigh area with small rough spots of green, fawn, cream or white. A varied groin pattern may or may not be present consisting of one or many black blotches which may extend along the flank. Above the tympanum and sometimes also present below the canthus is a black streak that extends along the lateral surface to behind the forearm area, where it may disintegrate into a number of flank spots. This is edged on the top by a yellow to gold line.

Ventral surface is predominantly white but a darker mottling may or may not be present under the jaw area. In the abdomen and under-thigh area coarse graining is present. Subarticular tubicles are present and prominent on the under toe surface. An inner metatarsal tubercle is present and small and the outer is tiny. Fingers are unwebbed and toes have well developed webbing of about 3/4..

Size (snout-vent). Recorded maximum for this species is 70mm. The size for males is between 37-43mm with females larger at 55-63mm (L. lesueuri)

Adult

Juvenile - ventral view

Call

(Barker et al., 1995; Donellan and Mahoney, 2004; Frith and Frith 1987; McDonald, 2000; Richards and Alford, 1992; Tyler and Davies 1978; Tyler, 1982; Woodhams, 2000)

This species does not call in the same way as most other Litoria, in that, males lack a vocal sac and the low intensity of the call is difficult to detect and record. It cannot even be heard beyond a short distance.and since the species L. lesueuri has been split into 3 sister species it is not possible to determine which sister species was previously recorded especially where overlap occurs.The call has been previously described as a 2-3 second duration repeated 'soft trill', a soft "whirring" or a "soft purring".

Geographic range.

(Donellan and Mahoney, 2004)

Known range of the species L. willcoxii is from the Far North Queensland headwaters of the Mitchell River through the western tributaries of the Barron River Drainage system and the eastern orientated creeks of the Paluma Range (near Townsville) and Magnetic Island (pers. obs.) down to the Hawkesbury-Nepean River Basin of NSW.

Biology/physiology

(Doyle et al., 2002, Kriger and Hero, 2006, Woodhams et al 2005)

L. willcoxii is known to have persisted in areas where other frog species have declined from chytridiomycosis indicating that it may have some degree of immunity allowing it to survive the disease.

A 2002 study done on the skin peptides of L. lesueuri showed no specific antibacterial peptides and showed a nitric oxide inhibitor, however a recent study on individuals collected in the range of L. willcoxii do show anti-microbal properties and a more complex set of peptides than previous studies.

Typical breeding habitat for this species on Magnetic Island

Habitat, Ecology and behaviour

(Barker et al., 1995; Frith, 1987; Cogger, 1988; Langkilde and Alford 2002; McDonald, 2000, Woodhams, 2001)

Tolerant of diverse habitats from heathland to rainforest, L. willcoxii/lesueuri is mostly associated with rocky streams. It has been found quite some distance from water and on Magnetic Island it persists with water available only in the wet season. Other areas where it has been found are dry schlerophyll forests ,coastal woodlands and montane areas.

A predominantly nocturnal species it has been known to be active at times, by day. When disturbed on rocks near water it will quickly use its powerful jumping legs to leap, dive and swim away.

Normal behaviour alters under capture or handling stress in L. willcoxii/junggay.

Reproduction.

( Anstis, 2000; Barker et al., 1995; Cogger, 1988; Donellan and Mahoney, 2004; McDonald, 2000; Richards and Alford, 1992)

Studies on nest building habits done on either L. junggay or L. willcoxii at Kirrima, North Queensland has the species breeding as early as September. In dry areas such as Magnetic Island breeding behaviour does not commence until the monsoon rains arrive in November/December.

Males call from stream banks about a metre from the water, facing it and with a separation of a metre or so between each individual. This would vary depending on the number of calling males and available space.

In the Kirrima study, circular aquatic nests were constructed in sandy substrate prior to deposition of the egg mass which is described as a firm, gelatinous layered mass consisting of apx.1200 eggs. Other areas have egg mass attached to to substrate or substrate vegetation or in small rock pools.

Tadpoles are described as streamline and "wider across the abdomen than deep" with shallow tail fins. Goldish in sheen, over a darker ground, the tail is relatively clear with a "yellowish tinge"and a little darker spotting. Eyes are positioned on the sides towards the top. Recorded up to 45mm with a tooth formula of 2/3.

Tadpoles are bottom dwelling, detritus and vegetation eaters. Where streams are fast flowing they have been known to use their oral discs to retain position. Aggregation behaviour has been reported in tadmoles.

Metamorphs are diurnally active up to juvenile size and then cannot be easily located by day (pers. obs.)

tadpole

early metamorph

Anstis, M (2003) Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia, Reed New Holland, Sydney, NSW

Barker, J,Grigg, G. and Tyler, M.(1995) A Field Guide to Australian Frogs: Surrey, Beatty and Sons, NSW. Cogger, H. G., 1988. "Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia ". Reed Books, N.S.W.

Cogger, H. G., 1988. "Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia ". Reed Books, N.S.W.

Donnellan, S. and Mahony, M. (2004) Allozyme, chromosomal and morphological variability in the Litoria lesueuri species group (Anura : Hylidae) including a description of a new species: Australian Journal of Zoology:52:1-28.

Doyle, J., Llewellyn, L., Brinkworth,C.,Bowie,J., Wegener, K., Rozek, T.,Wabnitz,P., Wallace,J. and Tyler, M.,(2002)Amphibian peptides that inhibit neuronal nitric oxide synthase;The isolation of lesueurin from the skin secretion of the Australian Stony
Creek Frog Litoria lesueuri, Eur. J. Biochem. 269:100-109

Frith, C. and Frith, D, (1987), Australian Tropical Reptiles and Frogs,Tropical Australian Graphics, Paluma QLD.

Kriger, K.and Hero, Jean-Marc.,( 2006) Survivorship in Wild Frogs Infected with Chytridiomycosis,EcoHealth: 3:171–177.

Langkilde, T. and Alford, Ross A.,l(2002) The Tail Wags the frog: Harmonic Radar Transformers Affect Movement and Behaviour in Litoria Lesueuri, Jounal of Herpetology:36(4) 711-715.

McDonald, K., 2000, in "Wildlife of Tropical North Queensland" Eds. Ryan, M. & Burwood,.C.Pp.170-195 :Queensland Museum.

Richards,; S. J.and Alford, R. A., (1992) Nest Construction by an Australian Rainforest Frog of the Litoria lesueuri Complex (Anura: Hylidae),
Copeia:. 4:1120-1123.

Tyler, M. (1982), Frogs,Australian Naturalists Library,William Collins P/L, Sydney

Tyler M.J.and Davies, M. (1978)Species-groups within the Australopapuan Hylid Frog
Genus Eitovia Tschudi: Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series No. 63 C.S.I.R.O

Woodhams, D, Rollins-Smith, L.,Carey,C.,Reinert, L. ,Tyler, M. and Alford, Ross A.(2006)Population trends associated with skin peptide defenses against chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs,Oecologia:146: 531–540

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advanced metamorph

All photos by author unless otherwise captioned