Striped marsh frog

What is a striped marsh frog?

The striped marsh frog, scientifically known as  Limnodynastes peronii, is a large species of frog native to eastern and south eastern Australia. Striped marsh frogs are known for the striped marking along their backs. They are a very common frog species in the Sydney region with a unique call of a single sound, 'tok'.

Striped marsh frogs have brown stripes along their back.

What do striped marsh frogs look like?

Striped marsh frogs grow up to 7.5 centimetres in length. They are brown or beige with a lighter stripe running down their backs. Their legs are covered with brown spots and squiggles. These colours and patterns provide camouflage to help striped marsh frogs hide.

Striped marsh frogs can grow up to 7.5 centimetres long.

Striped marsh frogs have a white belly. The males have a pale yellow throat and larger forearms than the females.

Being ground dwellers, striped marsh frogs do not have webbed toes as tree frogs do.

What do striped marsh frogs sound like?

Only male striped marsh frogs call. They call in the hope of attracting a female. They give a single 'tok' or 'whuk' sound, repeated every few seconds. Their call sounds a little like two large stones being knocked together. Some say that if there are a number of striped marsh frogs calling, it sounds like people playing a game of table tennis!

Striped marsh frogs have a unique single call of 'tok', repeated every few seconds.

Where do striped marsh frogs live?

Striped marsh frogs are found throughout eastern and south-eastern Australia, including northern Tasmania. They can be found in ecosystems such as forests, woodlands and wetlands. Striped marsh frogs can be found in water habitats such as streams, ponds and dams. They can also live on land, taking shelter under logs and leaf litter where they are able to keep moist.

Striped marsh frogs can be found in urban environments due to their tolerance of polluted water. They are frequently observed in garden ponds, pools and ditches containing water,where they breed and raise their tadpoles.

Striped marsh frogs can live in waterways polluted by humans. This is Buffalo Creek within the Field of Mars Reserve which collects urban stormwater runoff.

What do striped marsh frogs eat?

Striped marsh frogs eat anything that moves and that they can fit in their mouths. This includes many invertebrates such as insects, spiders, snails and slugs. Sometimes they eat smaller frogs.

How do striped marsh frogs reproduce and what is their life cycle?

Striped marsh frogs breed in the warmer months of the year, from spring to autumn.

Eggs are laid as a foamy mass on the surface of still or slow-moving water, often within plants at the water’s edge. The egg mass or frogspawn floats on top of the water and contains up to 1000 eggs. The egg mass looks like washing-up detergent bubbles with little black spots in it. Each of the black dots is a developing tadpole.

Striped marsh frog eggs are laid on the surface of the water as a foamy mass.

The eggs hatch within a few days. The tadpoles have gills for breathing underwater and a tail so they can swim. The tadpoles mostly stay at the bottom of the water feeding on tiny invertebrates, algae and other plants. Striped marsh frog tadpoles can grow to up to 9.5 centimetres in length, longer than the adult frog. They are black or brown in colour and quite dark.

Striped marsh frog tadpoles are large and dark in colour.

As the tadpoles grow, they develop legs and lungs. Frogs in this life stage are called metamorphs. The tails of metamorphs gradually shrink as they change into froglets. These froglets continue to grow and mature into adult frogs.

Striped marsh frog tadpoles are slow-growing and can take up to 8 months to become adults.

A striped marsh frog metamorph with legs and tail.

What adaptations do striped marsh frogs have to their environment?

When on land, striped marsh frogs take shelter under logs, rocks, plants and leaf litter. This helps to keep their skin moist whilst hiding from their predators.

This species of frogs hide well in the undergrowth due to their brown, striped and spotted skin. These markings allow them to camouflage easily in their environment.

The striped dark and light brown markings of striped marsh frogs provide excellent camouflage.