Whats This?

[CaroleB]

This little dude was laid under a lilypad in the middle of the top pond by a paranoid and secretive frog, the frothy egg mass completely hidden by the leaf.
The tadpoles were jet black with apricot underside. The ones we have inside have developed quickly by the warmth of the fire. Much quicker than their brothers and sisters in the pool/pond.
Here's a little poser showing off for identification. The salmon color didn't come out fully due to the lighting.
Have been breeding and rescuing for 10 years but this is a beauty and a new one for me.
Couldn't identify call from net site database.
Any ideas???

[Evan]

They are Striped Marsh Frogs (Limnodynastes peronii).

Evan

[CaroleB]

Must be a subspecies, as the L. peronii we have here are different. Different in every stage of their life-cycle especially the way the tadpoles lightened in colour as they aged as opposed to our standard L.peronii which stays dark. This is different colouring and patterning than the L.peronii that has been breeding in this area every year for the 7 years I have been here. The mating call was also completely different to L.peronii.
I know they're not as our pool/pond are full of L.peronii as well as these.

[Evan]

Darkness is just variation in the species. It may be rare in your population, but it is commmon for light ones like this. What was the call?

Evan

[CaroleB]

We have gained a more accurate identification from the President of the Queensland Frog Society as Limnodynastes salmini. Thank you though for your attempt at identification. But we didn't mention that the tadpole is already bigger than L.peronii.

[GrantW]

There are no subspecies of Lim. peronii known about, it is quite hard to tell at that stage whether they are Lim. peronii or slamini, but it does look slightly more like salmini than peronii.

[Evan]

Keep it to make sure. I was thinking of Lim. salmini as a possibility, but the mid-dorsal stripe threw me. I just read in Anstis that the salmon stripes are cream at metamorphosis. So it should become apparant in the next couple weeks.

Evan

[CaroleB]

We have 3 in an 2' obsevation tank inside near the fire and they're morphing much faster than their brothers and sisters outside in the cold. Will be watching intently as L.salmini is rather rare in this neck of the woods and keeping this post updated + photos.

[manicackel]

I was going to say L.Salmini , truely, i was!!

[Evan]

Any updates on the photos Carol?

Evan