What lays eggs but doesn't have any feathers?

A microhylid (of course - you knew that)!

Yes, it's true. These frogs do not have free-swimming tadpoles. They lay their eggs in clumps in the soil under moist rainforest leaf litter. They acquired the common name of 'nursery frogs' because it appears that they guard the eggs and possibly secrete some sort of anti-fungal agent over the eggs to protect them. The larvae develops inside the egg and hatches out as a very tiny metamorph.

Many of the Australian microhylids are from higher altitudes and there are about 17 species in the Wet Tropics area but only three are found within Cairns. The largest of the microhylids would only reach nearly 20mm but many are only 14-17mm long. All are known to be very hard to find, even when you are within a couple feet of them as they call from under leaf litter, bark, roots and rocks.

Two genus' of microhylids are found in Australia - Cophixalus and Sprenophryne (the latter has a slightly larger and heavier build) although many more exist in PNG. All the Australian species are endemic to the Wet Tropics and many are found in only one location.

Cophixalus ornatus (Ornate Nursery frog)

Distinctive because of the orange patches over the hips, the Ornate Nursery frog makes a call similar to that of a katydid but at a higher pitch. It is a pleasant sound as it reverberates in the rainforest and is one of the easiest microhylids to access, occurring almost down to sea level.

Cophixalus infacetus (Palmerston Nursery frog)

Although found at at least three Cairns sites and other sites southward, this tiny frog is particularly common in Palmerston National Park (south of Cairns). There is nothing terribly distinctive about its markings that would identify it - it is usually known by its call and geographic location.

Sphenophryne pluvialis (White-browed Cricket Chirper)

No, it's not a bird despite the odd common name - the call of this frog is what has led to the unusual common name. It is very abundant in the Goldsborough Valley (south of Cairns) where it calls from under granite rocks but it is also found at Stony Creek (in Barron Gorge) and upper Bayview Heights. A more appropriate name might be the 'mobile phone' frog as its call sounds exactly like the older ring styles of mobile phones!

Last edited: Oct. 1st, 2005