The Corroboree frogs are two species of small, ground dwelling frogs, native to Southern Tablelands of Australia. The two species are the Southern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) and the Northern Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi). Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... For other uses, see Amphibian (disambiguation). ... Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia The Anura is the order of animals in the class Amphibia that includes frogs and toads. ... Distribution of Myobatrachidae (in black) Subfamilies See text Myobatrachidae is a family of frogs, of the order Anura. ... The distribution of Pseudophryne (in black). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wells is a small cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, nestling in the Mendip Hills. ... For other uses, see Wellington (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... NSW is a three-letter acronym that refers to: New South Wales, a state of the Commonwealth of Australia U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Distribution of frogs (in black) Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia - List of Anuran families The frogness babe is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning tail-less from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). ... The Southern Tablelands is a geographic area of the State of New South Wales, Australia. ...

Taxonomy

'Corroboree' is an Indigenous Australian word for a gathering or meeting where traditionally the attendees paint themselves with yellow markings similar to those of this frog. A Corroboree is a ceremonial meeting of Australian Aborigines. ... Australian Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Australia. ...

Distribution

The Corroboree frog is found only in a 400km² patch in the alpine regions of Southern New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $305,437 (1st)  - Product per capita  $45,153/person (4th) Population (End of March 2006)  - Population  6,817,100 (1st)  - Density  8. ... Motto: Peace and Prosperity Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Governor HE Mr John Landy Premier Steve Bracks (ALP) Area 237,629 km² (6th)  - Land 227,416 km²  - Water 10,213 km² (4. ...

Physical description

The northern form deviates slightly in having narrower yellow to greenish stripes and is slightly smaller.

Biology

Reproduction

Sexual maturity of P. corroboree is reached at four years of age, with one year as an embryo/tadpole and two years as a juvenile/subadult. Adults primarily have only one breeding season. Breeding occurs around December terrestrially near shallow pools, fens, seepages, wet grassland or wet heaths, where the males build chamber nests within the grasses and moss. Males compete for females via song. Each male will attract up to ten females to his burrow sequentially and may dig a new burrow if his first is filled with eggs. The female lays up to 38 eggs and the male grasps her and deposits sperm directly onto the eggs. Tadpoles develop but remain within the protective egg coat until hatching occurs when high ground-water levels after rain cause the nest to become flooded at 4 to 6 months. Tadpole development takes six to eight months. Metamorphosis occurs between December and February (Osborne and Norman 1991). P. pengilleyi prefers to breed in sphagnum bogs and wet heath in sub-alpine areas and dense patches of herbs in openings or seepages amongst fallen tussocks at lower elevation (bog pools at high altitudes above 1300 m and in shallow seepage pools in gullies at lower altitudes of 1000-1400 m). Other reproductive details are as for P. corroboree. Both species are restricted to mountain and sub-alpine woodlands, heathlands and grasslands. Species See text. ...

Non-breeding habitat for both species occurs in forest, woodland and heath adjacent to breeding sites.

Diet

These frogs feed mainly on small invertebrates such as ants, beetles, insect larvae and mites. Some are known to eat other frogs of their own kind. (only if there is a shortage of food).Tadpoles feed on algae and other tadpoles that are smaller and younger than themselves. ^[1]

Toxicity

Corroboree frogs are the first vertebrates discovered that are able to produce their own poisonous alkaloids, as opposed to obtaining it via diet as many other frogs do. The alkaloid is secreted from the skin as a defence against predation, and potentially against skin infections by microbes. The unique alkaloid produced has been named pseudophrynamine (Daly et al 2002).^[2] Chemical structure of ephedrine, a phenethylamine alkaloid An alkaloid is, strictly speaking, a naturally occurring amine produced by a plant,[1] but amines produced by animals and fungi are also called alkaloids. ...

Behaviour

Corroborree frogs are quite unusual in their nature. Not only do they not start breeding until four years of age, the also hibernate during winter under whatever shelter they can find. This may be snow gum trees, or bits of bark or fallen leaves. Males stay with the egg nests and may breed with many females over the course of one season.^[3] This article refers to the process of hibernation in biology. ... Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ... Binomial name Eucalyptus pauciflora The Snow Gum (Eucalyptus pauciflora) is a small tree or large shrub, one of the mallee group of the genus Eucalyptus. ...

Conservation status

Both species have declined dramatically in the past thirty years. However, the Southern Corroboree Frog has suffered more serious declines.

Current status

The Southern Corroboree Frog was considered relatively numerous within its very small distribution in the 1970s, as of June 2004 it had and estimated adult population of 64. This species has suffered declines of up to 80% over the past 10 years. It is found only within a fragmented region of less than 10 km² within Mount Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales. It is only found at 1300 m above sea level (Osborne 1989). It is currently listed as critically endangered and is considered to be one of, if not, Australia's most endangered species. Kosciuszko is a national park in New South Wales (Australia), 354 km southwest of Sydney. ... Worldwind image of Snowy Mountains The Snowy Mountains (known for short as the Snowies) are the highest Australian mountain range and contain the Australian mainlands highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2228 metres AHD. They are located in southern New South Wales and are part of the larger Australian... Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $305,437 (1st)  - Product per capita  $45,153/person (4th) Population (End of March 2006)  - Population  6,817,100 (1st)  - Density  8. ...

The Northern Corroboree Frog has not suffered as badly as the southern. It is more widely distributed across about 550 km² of the Brindabella and Fiery Ranges in Namadgi National Park, Australian Capital Territory, and Kosciuszko National Park and Buccleuch State Forest in New South Wales. It is found above about 1000m and is found to have higher population numbers at lower elevations. It has recently been downgraded from critical to endangered by the IUCN. Namadgi National Park is located in the southwestern part of the Australian Capital Territory, bordering Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. ... Capital Canberra Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator none Chief Minister Jon Stanhope (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2006)  - Product ($m)  $19,167 (6th)  - Product per capita  $57,303/person (1st) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  333,667 (7th)  - Density  137. ...

Cause for decline

The near-loss of these frogs has been attributed to a variety of causes, such as habitat destruction from recreational 4WD use; development of ski resorts; feral animals; degradation of the frogs' habitat; the extended drought cycle affecting much of southeastern Australia at present; and increased UV radiation flowing from ozone layer depletion. The drought affects these frogs by drying out their breeding sites so that the breeding cycle, which is triggered by seasonal changes and may require moistening of the bogs in autumn and spring to bring on specific developmental events, is delayed. This may mean that tadpoles have not metamorphosed by late summer when their bogs dry out, and so perish. The bogs themselves are apparently drier than usual. Severe bushfires in the Victorian and NSW high country in January 2003 destroyed much of the frogs' remaining habitat, especially the breeding sites and the leaf litter that insulates overwintering adults. The fire affected almost all Southern Corroboree Frog habitat, however recent surveys has shown that a lower than expected decline of this species as a result of the fire. Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ... A feral horse (an American mustang) in Wyoming A feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. ... Fields outside Benambra, Victoria suffering from drought conditions A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. ... The ozone layer is the part of the Earths atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). ... A Pieris rapae larva An older Pieris rapae larva A Pieris rapae pupa A Pieris rapae adult Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. ... Backburning in Townsville, Australia to prevent bushfires. ...

As with many other Australian frogs, the predominant reason for the Corroboree Frogs' decline is thought to be infection with the chytrid fungus. This fungus is believed to have been accidentally introduced to Australia in the 1970s and destroys the frogs' skin, usually fatally. Corroboree frogs' eggs appear to be immune. Frog populations may eventually be able to acquire immunity, as wild relatively healthy adults have been found with the fungus on their skin. Orders Chytridiales Spizellomycetales Blastocladiales Monoblepharidales Neocallimasticales Chytridiomycota is a division of the Fungi kingdom and contains only one class, Chytridiomycetes. ...

Conservation efforts

The Amphibian Research Centre had already begun a rescue programme under which eggs were collected and raised to late tadpole stage before return as close as possible to their collection site. Research is now underway into captive breeding and on which lifecycle stage - eggs, tadpoles or adults - promises the best chance of survival following return to the wild. The national parks authorities in the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales have developed conservation programmes, including a captive husbandry programme at Tidbinbilla, ACT, as well as Taronga Zoo in Sydney. Captive breeding is the process of breeding endangered animals by capturing them from their natural environment, breeding them in restricted conditions in zoos and other conservation facilities, and releasing them back to the wild when the population stabilizes and the threat to the animal in the wild is lessened or... Capital Canberra Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator none Chief Minister Jon Stanhope (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2006)  - Product ($m)  $19,167 (6th)  - Product per capita  $57,303/person (1st) Population (End of November 2006)  - Population  333,667 (7th)  - Density  137. ... Capital Sydney Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Professor Marie Bashir Premier Morris Iemma (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 50  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $305,437 (1st)  - Product per capita  $45,153/person (4th) Population (End of March 2006)  - Population  6,817,100 (1st)  - Density  8. ... Tidbinbilla can mean: Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, a nature reserve near Canberra, Australia. ...

Notes

1. ^ http://www.zoo.org.au/education/factsheets/amp-southcorro_frog.pdf
2. ^ Daly et al 2002
3. ^ http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/frog_corrob2.htm

References

1. Daly, J. W., H. M. Garraffo, L. K. Pannell and T. F. Spande. 1990. Alkaloids from Australian frogs (Myobatrachidae): Pseudophrynamines and pumiliotoxins. Journal of Natural Products 53(2): 401-421.
2. Moore, J. A. 1953. A new species of Pseudophryne from Victoria. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 78(3-4): 179-180.
3. Osborne, W. S. 1989. Distribution, relative abundance and conservation status of Corroboree Frogs, Pseudophryne corroboree (Anura: Myobatrachidae). Australian Wildlife Research 16:537-547.
4. Osborne, W. S. and J. A. Norman. 1991. Conservation Genetics of Corroboree Frogs Pseudophryne corroboree Moore (Anura: Myobatrachidae): population subdivision and genetic divergence. Australian Journal of Zoology 39:285-297.

External links

• Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve Information page, including a photo of a Corroboree frog
• Project Corroboree homepage on the Amphibian Research Centre website Includes photos of habitat following the 2003 bushfires
• http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/collies_clicks/fauna/CorroboreeFrog/corroboree_frog.htm - has a very good picture of frogs' underbellies
• (ACT action plan)
• NSW recovery plan - sets out detailed information and bibliography
• Southern Corroboree Frog Threatened Species Profile
• Frog Watch field guide