Black-shinned Rocket FrogLitoria tornieri

 

The Black-shinned Rocket Frog (Litoria tornieri) is found on in Australia's "Top End" from the Kimberley Region of northern Western Australia and along the norther tier of the Northern Territory.   There are a number of these "ranid-looking" rocket frog species across Australia but in the Kakadu area, this was the species I most commonly encountered.

Adults are around 1.5 inches (3.5cm) in total length and are typically reddish-brown or grayish-brown with a few irregular black spots along the sides.   The area along the edge of the snout and through the eye to the tympanum (ear) is marked with a dark "mask".  

This species was common in the swampy savannah woodlands through Kakadu National Park.   I heard them calling from most flooded areas after rains and found a large number hopping across the roads at night.

Their call could be described as a two-part "ribbit" although it isn't like the North American Pacific Coast Pseudacris species from where that common frog onomatopoeic call name originates.   It is more "buzzy" and less "croaky" than the American Pseudacris that made the "ribbit" name synonymous with frog calls.

Here's a cleaned up recording of a few calling from along the road in Kakadu National Park

Litoria tornieri isolated recording

And here's another recording from the same spot, but with some Remote Froglets (Crinia remota) adding their dry trills above the Rocket Frogs.

Litoria tornieri calling with Crinia remota

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© Chris Harrison 2024