The Elegant Frog is a critically endangered species of amphibian

Amphibian

Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...

. This particular frog species is found in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

's montane

Montane

In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...

 rainforest

Rainforest

Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...

s, usually under logs and in leaf litter. Their geographic range within Australia is less than 100 km².

Characteristics

These frogs are grey on their backs with pale or orange patches. The belly is usually white, yellow or brown. Their size is usually around 25 mm. The texture of the entire frog is smooth. The fingers and toes are large pads but they are not webbed. Their call sounds like a number of clicks or a rattle that lasts for a few seconds.

Ecology

This species is often located in Australian rainforests at high elevations. They are usually found on the forest floor in leaf litter. Their mating calls occur on tree trunks, logs and bushes. They are Terrestrial breeders. Their unpigmented eggs are laid underneath rocks or logs with moist soil. They are laid in a string. The average number of eggs deposited per year is 1-50 eggs per female.

Conservation

This species is listed as critically endangered because its occurrence is less than 100 km², and its area occupancy is less than 10 km². The individuals are located in a single location, and there is also a prediction that a decline in the frog's mature species will occur because of Global warming. Other threats often occur in Australian National Parks that are , and the development of walking tracks and other facilities designed for tourists.