Australian Amphibian Genera
The Australian frog fauna consists of four native families, and one introduced family. The sole species of frog introduced to Australia which has naturalised, is the Cane Toad (Bufo marinus), of the family Bufonidae. The Cane Toad was introduced to several locations throughout Queensland, and has since spread west and south.
The tree frogs, of the family Hylidae, are one of the major families in Australia, with over 70 species. The tree frogs are split into three genera: Cyclorana, Litoria and Nyctimystes. The tree frogs of Australia have various habits, from completely arboreal to fossorial.
The other major family native to Australia is Myobatrachidae, consisting of 17 to 22 genera and 112 species. Myobatrachidae is endemic to Australia, New Guinea and a few small islands, however the highest diversity can be found in Australia.
Microhylidae and Ranidae make up a small amount of the Australian frog fauna, with less than 20 species in Microhylidae and one species of Ranidae. The majority of the species within these families are found throughout the world, with Australia making up a small portion of their diversity.
| Bufonidae - 1 genus, 1 species (introduced) | ||||
| Genus | Common names | Example species | Example photo | Australian range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bufo - 1 species |
True toads | Cane Toad (Bufo marinus) |
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| Hylidae - 1 sub-family, 3 genera, 78 species | ||||
| Genus | Common names | Example species | Example photo | Australian range |
| Cyclorana - 13 species |
Water holding frogs | Striped Burrowing Frog (Cyclorana alboguttata) | ||
| Litoria - 64 species |
Tree frogs | White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) | ||
| Nyctimystes - 1 species |
Big eyed tree frogs | Australian Lace-lid (Nyctimystes dayi ) | ||
| Microhylidae - 1 sub-family, 2 genera, 19 species | ||||
| Genus | Common names | Example species | Example photo | Australian range |
| Austrochaperina - 5 species |
Nursery frogs | Fry's Frog (Austrochaperina fryi) | ||
| Cophixalus - 14 species |
Rainforest frogs | Scanty Frog (Cophixalus exiguus) | - | |
| Myobatrachidae - 3 sub-families, 20 genera, 119 species (3 extinct) | ||||
| Genus | Common names | Example species | Example photo | Australian range |
| Adelotus - 1 species |
Tusked Frog | Tusked Frog (Adelotus brevis) | ||
| Arenophryne - 1 species |
Sandhill Frog | Sandhill Frog (Arenophryne rotunda) | - | |
| Assa - 1 species |
Pouched Frog | Pouched Frog (Assa darlingtoni) | ||
| Crinia - 15 species |
Australian froglets | Common Eastern Froglet (Crinia signifera) | ||
| Geocrinia - 7 species |
Ground froglets | Smooth Frog (Geocrinia laevis) | - | |
| Heleioporus - 6 species |
Giant burrowing frogs | Giant Burrowing Frog (Heleioporus australiacus) | ||
| Lechriodus - 1 species |
Cannibal frogs | Fletcher's Frog (Lechriodus fletcheri) | ||
| Limnodynastes - 13 species |
Australian swamp frogs | Eastern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes dumerilli) | ||
| Metacrinia - 1 species |
Nicholl's Toadlet | Nicholl's Toadlet (Metacrinia nichollsi) | - | |
| Mixophyes - 5 species |
Barred frogs | Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus) | ||
| Myobatrachus - 1 species |
Turtle Frog | Turtle Frog (Myobatrachus gouldii) | - | |
| Neobatrachus - 10 species |
Stubby frogs | Painted Frog (Neobatrachus pictus) | ||
| Notaden - 4 species |
Australian spadefoot toads | Crucifix Toad (Notaden bennettii) | ||
| Opisthodon - 2 species |
- | Ornate Burrowing Frog (Opisthodon ornatus) | ||
| Paracrinia - 1 species |
Haswell's Froglet | Haswell's Froglet (Paracrinia haswelii) | ||
| Philoria - 6 species |
Mountain frogs | Sphagnum Frog (Philoria sphagnicolus) | ||
| Pseudophryne - 13 species |
Toadlets or Brood frogs | Red-crowned Toadlet (Pseudophryne australis) | ||
| Rheobatrachus - 2 species |
Gastric brooding frogs | Southern Gastric Brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus silus) | - | |
| Spicospina - 1 species |
Sunset Frog | Sunset Frog (Spicospina flammocaerulea) | - | |
| Taudactylus - 6 species |
Torrent frogs | Eungella Torrent Frog (Taudactylus eungellensis) | ||
| Uperoleia - 24 species |
Australian toadlets | Tyler's Toadlet (Uperoleia tyleri) | ||
| Ranidae - 1 genus, 1 species | ||||
| Genus | Common names | Example species | Example photo | Australian range |
| Rana - 1 species |
True frogs | Australian Wood Frog (Rana daemeli) | - |
All numbers in the above table refer to Australian amphibians.
Read more about this topic: Amphibians Of Australia
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