Animal Species:Giant Burrowing Frog
Sydney's largest frog, the Giant Burrowing Frog, is an impressive amphibian.
Giant Burrowing Frog, Heleioporus australiacus
R & A Williams
© Australian Museum
Alternative Name/s
Eastern Owl Frog
Identification
The Giant Burrowing Frog is sometimes mistaken for the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) because of its size and warty appearance. The easiest way to tell if you're looking at a Giant Burrowing Frog or a Cane Toad is to look at the eyes. The Cane Toad's eyes have a horizontal pupil with a gold iris. The Giant Burrowing Frog's eyes have a vertical pupil with a silver-grey iris.
Size range
9 cm - 10 cm
Similar Species
Cane Toad (Bufo marinus)
Distribution
The Giant Burrowing Frog is found throughout Australia
Habitat
The Giant Burrowing Frog lives in urban areas, forests and woodlands, and heath.
Feeding and Diet
Adult Giant Burrowing Frogs travel widely in search of food, which includes spiders, centipedes, insects, crayfish and even bull ants.
Communication
Giant Burrowing Frogs give an owl-like hoot call.
Mating and reproduction
During the summer, male Giant Burrowing Frogs use their powerful spade-like back legs to dig deep burrows into creek banks. From here they give an owl-like hoot to attract females, giving them their other name, the Eastern Owl Frog. After mating, the females lay eggs in a foamy nest in the burrow. The tadpoles that develop are washed into the creek during heavy rain.
Conservation Status
Like many amphibians, populations of the Giant Burrowing Frog are thought to be in decline.
Classification
- Species:
- australiacus
- Genus:
- Heleioporus
- Family:
- Myobatrachidae
- Order:
- Anura
- Subclass:
- Lissamphibia
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
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Tags frogs, amphibians, vertebrates, identification, wildlife of sydney,