Motorbike frog

Motorbike Frog ( Litoria moorei )

The motorbike frog ( Litoria moorei, called " motorbike frog" in English, also known as Western gold tree frog or Moore'scher frog) is a soil-inhabiting frog from the south-west Australia. The motorbike frog has acquired its name from its mating call, which is very similar to the switching operation of a motorcycle transmission. Litoria moorei belongs to Litoria aurea complex, which also comprises Litoria aurea, Litoria raniformis, Litoria castanea, Litoria Litoria dahlii and cyclorhynchus except him.

Features

Motorbike frogs are very adept to camouflage themselves in their surroundings ( mimesis ); while their skin pigmentation is crucial, which ranges in color from dark brown to green to golden. The belly is lighter and has a usually pale green to light brown grain.

As is usual for tree frogs, Litoria moorei has small suction cups on the toes, which are useful when climbing difficult vertical surfaces. Likewise, the animal has powerful hind limbs and provided with webbed toes. During the mating season the males Bruns sealed Wielen form out which the female is held during copulation.

The tadpoles of the species have a dark brown body with a silver shimmer on underneath. Initially rather small, but they grow very quickly zoom to a size of about 80 mm. Instinctively, the tadpoles hiding in the vegetation, but quickly come out when food passes within range. They spend most of time in this stage of development in groups to protect themselves better.

Distribution and threat

The animal is found in many parts of south-western Australia, such as in Port Gregory, north of Geraldton, in the direction of Albany and the surrounding area and inland to the West Australian wheat belt. Similarly, it is found in the Perth area, preferably in coastal, shallow habitats. The motorbike frog enjoys great popularity there because it is the most common place frog in the home gardens.

Lakes, marshes, ponds and reservoirs are the favorite areas of the frog, where they are often found on plant stems or other elevated places where they bathe in the sun. Without water, they can still continue to live for some time, if it becomes necessary.

Unlike many of his relatives in the Litoria aurea complex Litoria moorei is far less danger, an endangered species to be. Because the frog has a relatively wide distribution area, has a high tolerance to varying environmental conditions, is numerous in individuals, and no to very little tendency shows return, it is suspected that the Artgefährdungsstatus nor should reverse into negative so soon. Although the nature as well as the related species of chytrid fungus infections is affected, but this is also not really need to worry.

Reproduction and life

The mating season begins for the motorbike frog early spring, even into the late summer. This time is often the well-known mating call to hear the sound the males make. To this end, these are looking for a suitable position on reeds and other water plants. Mating takes place by pairing a ready female approaches the male, so that it clings to her using his Bruns sealed Wielen. The spawn, in the form of a sticky, transparent lumps, attached to floating debris and vegetation, where he stays until the young hatch.

Although Litoria moorei is a tree frog, he climbs very rarely more than one or two meters into the foliage up, he is down and lingers based most of his time at this altitude.

Motorbike frogs mainly eat arthropods ( arthropods ), but rarely other small frogs; cannibalism against juveniles can occur. In the tadpole stage, the diet consists of algae and also in some meat. The tadpoles sit down, the adults alike, from daily to two hours of direct sunlight, so as to promote their growth.