Neobatrachus aquilonius

Conservation Status

Calling Period

Description

A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to nearly 6 cm in body length. It has a dark brown back, with bright yellow or orange-yellow spots and squiggle-like markings. There is sometimes a yellow longitudinal stripe along the middle of the back. The lower half of the side is white, with indistinct yellow spots. The belly is white. The pupil is vertical, and the iris is silver-grey. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are half-webbed, both without discs. There is also a black metatarsal tubercle on the bottom of each foot: this is a shovel-shaped lump used for burrowing.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are unknown, but are likely to be similar to other Neobatrachus species and laid under the surface of the water in flooded ditches and claypans. Tadpoles can reach a total length of nearly 8 cm, and are silver-grey or orange-gold in colour. They swim at all depths of water bodies, and take around one month to develop into frogs. Breeds during summer after heavy rain.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Neobatrachus kunapalari, Neobatrachus sudellae, Neobatrachus sutor, and Neobatrachus wilsmorei in its distribution, but has a different back colour or pattern to all of these species.