Litoria wilcoxi
| Stony-creek frog | |
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| Litoria wilcoxii (female) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Hylidae |
| Genus: | Litoria |
| Species: | L. wilcoxii |
| Binomial name | |
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Litoria wilcoxii Günther, 1864 |
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| Distribution of Litoria wilcoxii | |
| Synonyms | |
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Hyla kinghorni Loveridge, 1950 |
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Hyla kinghorni Loveridge, 1950
Hyla vinosa Lamb, 1911
Litoria wilcoxii is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. Also known as the stony-creek frog,eastern stony creek frog and Wilcox's frog, it is endemic to Australia, being found solely on the eastern coast between Ingham, QLD, and Sydney, NSW, and as far west as Atherton, QLD. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, and pastureland.
Litoria wilcoxii shows extreme sexual dimorphism, meaning the males and females have different appearances. Females can reach a length of up to 70 mm and males 45 mm. Individuals are a smooth brown in colour with speckling and blotching in the groin. A thick black stripe extends from the nostril to the base of the forearm, encompassing the eye and tympanum The lower underside and groin can be from a light yellow to olive green, tending more often towards a beige brown. The thighs will reflect this colouration, though more brightly. Females fit this description year round, but males turn a bright yellow to yellow-orange during mating season. As with most members of the Litoria genus, they have climbing discs on their fingers and toes.
The stony creek frog's snout is very useful in the wild. It enables it to stay low under water so it can stay away from predators. The snout acts as a ventilation system. When swimming underwater, the snout will stick slightly above the water so it can breathe.
Males call will a very soft purring from debris such as rocks, vegetation or the ground immediately next to the water body.
Once the female has located the male, the pair will enter amplexus. Eggs will be laid in a single submerged cluster attached to a sediment.
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Wikipedia