Fry's Frog

Scientific name: Austrochaperina fryi

Author(s)

FrogID Team
Updated

05/02/21
Read time

2 minutes

Fry's Frog, Austrochaperina fryi Image: Stephen Mahony
© Stephen Mahony

Fast Facts

IUCN Conservation Status

LEAST CONCERN (LC)
Classification

Genus

Austrochaperina

Species

fryi

Family

Microhylidae

Order

Anura

Subclass

Lissamphibia

Class

Amphibia

Subphylum

Vertebrata

Phylum

Chordata

Kingdom

Animalia
Size Range

3.5 cm

Description

A small species of frog reaching up to 3.5 cm in body length. It has a brown, yellow-brown, cream-coloured or red-brown back, often with small dark brown spots and flecks, and sometimes a thin, pale longitudinal stripe along the middle. There is often a dark brown stripe from the tip of the snout to the arm. The belly is cream-coloured, pale orange or pale yellow, sometimes with dark flecks. The pupil is horizontal or nearly round and the iris is gold or red. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both without discs.

Similar Species

Looks very similar to Austrochaperina robusta; they can only be separated by their calls, as well as mostly different distribution. Also looks similar to Austrochaperina pluvialis in its distribution, but has a different eye colour.

Distribution

Found in the Wet Tropics region of QLD.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as one small cluster on land in a hidden area of moist leaf litter and the nest is guarded by the male, as it is with other Austrochaperina species. Tadpoles never swim in water; instead they develop inside the egg and hatch as little frogs. It is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to summer in the wet season and possibly earlier.