Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Australia

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

North-eastern New South Wales from Mt Hyland in the north to Gloucester Tops in the south. In the northern and central northern mountains of New South Wales.The extent of occurrence of the species is approximately 9200 km2.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Found in montane subtropical rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest where the rainfall is high (1500 mm annually). Lives in extensive beds of sphagnum moss and seepages on steep slopes.Spring – summer breeder, diurnal calling. About 40 – 60 large eggs are laid in moist spots such as in rock crevices, under logs or in burrows made in sphagnum moss. In aquatic situations the tadpoles may be found in the silt of small pools. Tadpoles remain in nest and feed off yolk. They generally emerge after one month. Males tend to the nests whilst the females move on after about 5 days.

Trends and Threats
No known declines in population or range.

Threats
In the past a considerable area of the species habitat was cleared or logged. A majority of the habitat is now in reserves and protected from clearing or timber harvesting.Disturbances upstream that affect hydrological processes and/or water quality may threaten the species.Stock (cattle) have been observed at a number of breeding sites.

Conservation Measures
Listed as vulnerable in New South Wales and therefore is protected by legislation in that state. Most of its habitat occurs within National Parks and State Forests including Mt Boss State Forest.

Comments

Anstis, M. (1981) Breeding biology and range extension for the New South Wales frog Kyarranus sphagnicolus (Anura: Leptodactylidae). Australian Journal of Herpetology 1(1): 1-9.

Barker J, GC Grigg and MJ Tyler (1995) A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons, New South Wales.

Hines H, M Mahony and K McDonald (1999) An assessment of frog declines in wet subtropical Australia. In A Campbell (ed) Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs. Environment Australia, Canberra.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2002 Philoria sphagnicolus: Sphagnum Frog <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3495> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Dec 22, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 22 Dec 2024.

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