Litoria platycephala

Water reservoir frog ( Cyclorana platycephala )

The water reservoir frog ( Cyclorana platycephala ) is a Froschlurch from the family of tree frogs in the broader sense ( Hylidae ).

Features

This frog is colored six to seven inches long and brown; the lower side is bright.

Occurrence and life

The species occurs in the arid regions of Australia before in periodically drying up lakes and swamps. It feeds on insects, insect larvae, spiders, worms and molluscs.

In the rainy season the frog is active and multiplies. Before complete drying out of the water, he then retreats into a self-dug chamber in the muddy banks. He collects in cavities in the subcutaneous tissue and in his bladder, large amounts of water and then looks almost spherically (hence the Latin genus name). With these water reserves he can take the time until the next rain.

Relation to man

The Aborigines dig up the frogs from the drinking water when no other water is available. By applying light pressure on the frog this water is free. Then the frog is without prejudice dismissed back into the wild.

Documents

• Cyclorana platycephala in animal diversity (English)
• Litoria platycephala in the Red List of Threatened Species IUCN 2013.1. Posted by: . Jean -Marc Hero, John Clarke, Ed Meyer, Richard Retallick, Paul Horner, Dale Roberts, 2004 Retrieved on September 7, 2013

• Tree Frogs