The Painted Burrowing Frog (Neobatrachus pictus) is a species of burrowing frog native to western Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

, eastern South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

 and southern New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. They are also one of six species of frog which inhabit Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent. Its closest point to the mainland is off Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia. The island is long...

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Physical description

The Painted Burrowing Frog is a moderate sized plump frog, reaching 55 mm in length. It is grey to yellow above with brown, olive or green patches. There is sometimes a thin, paler stripe running down the back. The belly is white. The rear toes are partially webbed and the metatarsal tubercles (shovel like structures on the heel of the foot to assist with burrowing) are completely black. The pupil is a vertical slit when contracted, and the iris is silver to gold.

Ecology and behaviour

Painted Burrowing Frogs inhabit waterholes, dams or pools of watercourses in woodland, grassland, and cleared areas. Males make an elongated trilling sound while floating in water after heavy rains, mainly in winter and autumn. Like other Neobatrachus the species is an adapted burrower and will often spend periods of time underground to avoid drought conditions.

Eggs are laid as loosely adherent clumps which may break apart. Tadpoles are large and reach about 78 mm (at about stage 35). Development takes about 4 to 7 months and metamorphs are often observed from September to November.

When threatened, this species will sometimes rear up all its legs, inflating its body to appear larger to discourage some predators.

It is an uncommon species being threatened with habitat loss and is classified as endangered in New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

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Similar species

It is similar to other species of Neobatrachus

Neobatrachus

Neobatrachus is a genus of burrowing ground frogs native to Australia. They occur in every state except Tasmania, however this genus is absent from the far north of Australia and most of Queensland. Most of the species in this genus occur in south-west Western Australia. They are often found in...

, particularly the Sudell's Frog

Sudell's Frog

The Sudell's Frog or Painted Burrowing Frog is a species of burrowing frog common to a large part of southeastern Australia...

 (N. sudelli) and the Trilling Frog

Trilling Frog

The Trilling Frog or Desert Trilling Frog is an Australian burrowing frog, of the family Myobatrachidae.-Distribution:...

(N. centralis), from which it is distinguished by lack of baggy skin around the groin and metatarsal colouring respectively.