Recently reported in the news ...

Recently reported in the news ...

New Frog Species Turns Up In Kalbarri Sands
By Joseph Catanzaro

It might be small, but this tiny frog is creating quite a stir in the scientific community after it was discovered in the Kalbarri National Park, 150km north of Geraldton.

The southern sandhill frog, or Arenophryne xiphorhyncha, is a new species and was revealed yesterday at the WA Museum in Geraldton.

Photo above is of Arenophryne rotunda from www.frogsaustralia.net.au

Despite the fact it is believed the frog has lived in the sandhills of the National Park for as long as seven million years, scientists say the portly amphibian’s physical likeness to its cousin, the northern sandhill frog, has helped it evade being identified as a unique species until now.

WA Museum herpetologist Paul Doughty said the find was significant because it highlighted the fact a lot was left to be discovered about WA fauna.

“This species was found only 100km from Geraldton.  There’s probably about 100 species of frogs and reptile in Western Australia that remain undescribed,” he said.

Dr Doughty said the southern sandhill frog was unusual in that it used its big front legs to burrow head first through its sandy domain, unlike most Australian species which burrow backwards with their legs.  Atypically, the young do not go through a tadpole stage, instead females lay a big egg from which a miniature version of the adult frog emerges.

Dr Doughty said while the northern sandhill frog was discovered in 1976 in coastal dunes near Shark Bay, the first step towards the discovery of the southern sandhill frog did not occur until recently, after University of WA PhD student Danielle Edwards conducted genetic testing on a specimen found at Kalbarri. 

But the frog still retains one mystery.  “No one has heard its call yet,” Dr Doughty said.  “The males have to feel quite amorous before they will call.”