By Vickie Woods
Habitat
Burrows in loamy soil in grassland or wetland and river areas (Walker 1999).
Physical Description
Pobblebonk frogs have warty skin, thick, short legs, and round heads. Ground color is dark to pale grey with dark to bronze marking on the sides. Large glands are visible at the edge of the mouth and tibia region of the leg (Walker 1999). Webbing on the toes may stretch up to 1/4 the length of the toe. Pobblebonk frogs also have prominent teeth (Latham Bathfrog 1999). Adults reach 52-83 mm in size (Walker 1999). A pale "shovel" or spade can be seen on the hind toe (ACT Herpetological Association).
Reproduction
Pobblebonk frogs emerge from burrows to breed after rain. Females lay up to 4,000 eggs in foam nest using specialized skin flaps on the fingers to move bubbles from the water surface into the nest (Walker 1999).
Behavior
The pobblebonk frog is a burrowing frog, usually seen only after rainfall. Advertisement call is a "bonk" or banjo-like single syllable (Walker 1999)
Food Habits
No specific information could be found on this species, but frogs normally eat insects, worms, spiders, and centipedes, and although some frogs may eat fruit, mice, or snakes, (Latham Frog 1999) it can be assumed that the Pobblebonk frog follows the typical frog diet.
Conservation Status
These frogs are often dug up by gardeners (Walker 1999). They also face habitat loss as many Australian grasslands are endangered or threatened at this time (ACT Government 1997).
Other Comments
The supralabial gland - the gland at the corner of the frog's mouth - contains mucous, seromucous, and granular glands. The mucous glands affect osmoregulation. The granular glands secret a rodent repelling agent (Research Report 1998).
For More Information
Find Limnodynastes dumerilii information at
Contributors
Vickie Woods (author), Michigan State University.
James Harding
(editor), Michigan State University.

