Spotted Grass Frog

Description: It is characterised by olive-green or brown spots on a pale greyish-brown background which may change over the course of the day, being particularly pale at night. The belly is smooth and white. Breeding males have a dark yellow-green throat. Many specimens have a mid-dorsal stripe which may range from white or yellow through to rusty red. Females have large flaps of skin on the first two fingers.

Male size: 31-42 mm
Female size: 32-47 mm

Breeding: Males call from the edge of shallow water and are often concealed by vegetation. Breeding can occur at any time of the year, particularly between August and March. A foam nest of 90-1300 eggs is laid floating in water attached to submergent vegetation.

SA Distribution: Most common frog in Australia. Northern limits in SA probably fluctuate with climatic conditions.  Three call races occupy largely separate geographic regions.  Western race occupies the Flinders Ranges, north-east Eyre peninsula and to the Coorong.  Northern race from the Murray Valley into Victoria and the Southern race in south-east SA and into Victoria.

Habitat: Includes marshy country, creek edges and wetlands.  Live beneath stones, debris, or amongst grass near water.  Often found in large numbers under rocks in dry periods.

Call: 3 different calls in SA. "click" in the SE, slow rattle in Mt Lofty Ranges, faster in the Murray.