Western Toadlet

Pseudophryne occidentalis

A small robust-bodied frog with short legs and a tendency to crawl rather than hop. The back is chocolate brown with orange or bright yellow markings on top of the head, above the vent and on the upper arms. The undersurface is marbled black on a white background. The tubercles on the feet are much smaller than in the closely related crawling frog (Pseudophryne guentheri). Maximum size is about 3 cm.

Breeding

Similar to that of the crawling frog, except inland populations will breed more readily in response to bouts of heavy rain in summer. Eggs are laid in shallow burrows.

Call

The call is a short and grating croak.

Eggs

Similar to that of the crawling frog. Eggs develop up to a specific stage then pause to wait for rising water tables to flood burrows.

Tadpoles

Tadpoles swim out of flooded burrows and take 2-3 months to complete metamorphosis.

Other Notes

This species can be distinguished from the Crawling Toadlet by smaller digging tubercles on the feet and more vivid red patches.

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Two Western Toadlets Two Western Toadlets Western Toadlet Western Toadlet Western Toadlet Western Toadlet Belly of Western Toadlet Belly of Western Toadlet Male with eggs Male with eggs
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Distribution

This species occupies the southwest and arid zone from Shark Bay then south along the outer wheatbelt including Bruce Rock and Philips river in the west to the Tallering Barr Smith Range and Balladonia Rock in the east.

Habitat

Clay and sandy soils as well as granite outcrops.