The Fat Toadlet (Uperoleia crassa) is a small toadlet of the Australian Top End. It is found from northeastern Western Australia, east through the top end of the Northern Territory and down into northwestern Queensland. However, there is another species of Uperoleia, the Jabiru Toadlet (U. arenicola) that was described from the rocky savannas on western edge of Arnhem Land (north-central NT). This falls inside the range of the Fat Toadlet (U. crassa). Several authorities question whether the Jabiru Toadlet (U. arenicola) is a valid species or whether it is just a population of the more widespread Fat Toadlet (U. crassa).
These Toadlets that I recorded in January 2024 were technically in the range of the Jabiru Toadlet, if such a creature exists. In fact, I was only 12miles NNW of the town of Jabiru for which they are named. But if the Jabiru Toadlet isn't a valid species, then these are Fat Toadlets (U. crassa). So I can't say which species they are, just that they are whichever crassa/arenicola species occurs in western Arnhem land.
Not only are the Fat and Jabiru Toadlets visually indistinguishable according to authorities on the genus, but their calls sound the same as well. The excellent Australian Museum Frog ID page does not have a recording of Jabiru Toadlets. It does have Fat Toadlet recordings, and they sound pretty similar to mine.
The call of these Toadlets is hard to describe in words. I guess a short, buzzy "beep" or descending "be-ohp" might be a start, but there is also a shorter "chuck" call interspersed. I can't put it into words, but here's a couple calling from a roadside in Kakadu National Park from January 2024 after some rains. You figure out what they are saying! 😆
In this second recording, you hear a larger chorus with the croaking of an Australian Green Treefrog (Ranoidea caerulea) in the background.
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© Chris Harrison 2024
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