Burrowing Frogs Emerge After November Rains
Ornate Burrowing Frog Surfaces After Years Underground
Widespread Species Active During FrogID Week
A burrowing frog that can stay underground for years has come above ground to play after strong November rain in outback Queensland.
The ornate burrowing frog (Platyplectrum ornatum) is a widespread species found in northern and eastern Australia. It typically spends dry times lying in wait up to a metre deep under the soil, but heavy rain can soften the ground enough for it to move to the surface.
Jodi Rowley, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of New South Wales, said that most of Australia's frog species are active in November, which is why FrogID Week is held during this month.
Rowley said that the ornate burrowing frog is a "beautiful little frog" that is often overlooked because it spends so much time underground.
"It's a really interesting species because it can survive in such harsh conditions," she said.
The ornate burrowing frog is just one of many species of burrowing frogs found in Australia. Other species include the striped burrowing frog (Ranoidea alboguttata), the stonemason toadlet (Uperoleia lithomoda), and the green-striped burrowing frog (Alboguttata Günther 1867).
Burrowing frogs play an important role in the Australian ecosystem by helping to control insect populations and by providing food for other animals.
To help protect burrowing frogs, Rowley said that it is important to avoid disturbing their habitat and to keep an eye out for them when driving at night.
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