Common Eastern Froglet

Scientific name: Crinia signifera

Alternative name/s:
Eastern Brown Froglet

Author(s)

FrogID Team
Updated

04/02/21
Read time

2 minutes

Common Eastern Frog (Crinia signifera) — Image: Stephen Mahony
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

Classification

Genus

Crinia

Species

signifera

Family

Myobatrachidae

Order

Anura

Subclass

Lissamphibia

Subphylum

Vertebrata

Kingdom

Animalia
Size Range

2-3 cm

Description

A small species of frog reaching up to 3 cm in body length. It has a brown, grey, cream, beige, reddish or mustard yellow back, with or without longitudinal stripes, spots or patches. There are small dark triangular patches along the upper lip. The belly is grey, with white and black mottling. The pupil is nearly round and the iris is gold. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs. It is one of Australia’s most common species of frog.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Crinia nimba, Crinia parinsignifera, Crinia sloanei, Crinia tasmaniensis, Crinia tinnula, Geocrinia laevis, Geocrinia victoriana, Pseudophryne bibronii, Uperoleia fusca, Uperoleia laevigata, Uperoleia martini, Uperoleia rugosa, and Uperoleia tyleri in its distribution. It has a different call and belly colour to the Geocrinia species, and lacks the large parotid glands and bright colours in the groin and thighs present in the Uperoleia species. The top of the arms at the shoulder and back of the thighs are a different colour in Pseudophryne bibronii. It can most easily be distinguished from other Crinia species by its call.

Distribution

The Common Eastern Froglet is found in eastern Australia

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as small clusters in a wide variety of water bodies including streams, flooded ditches, grassland, permanent ponds, and dams. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 3.5 cm and are variable in colour and pattern, being spotted or uniform black, gold or grey. Tadpoles remain at the bottom of water bodies, and take around two and a half to three months to develop into frogs. Breeds during any time of the year.