Home › Amphibia › Hylidae › Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis)
SPECIES PROFILE
Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis)
Litoria
IUCN STATUS
Endangered
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
CLASS
Amphibia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Southeastern Australia, Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, SA
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Wetlands, swamps, slow rivers, artificial ponds in grassy areas
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Amphibia
ORDER
Anura
FAMILY
Hylidae
GENUS
Litoria
📋 Description
SIZE
Up to 10 cm in length; 50-80 grams
COLORATION
Green with brown/gold blotches; pale stripe, white/yellow belly
ADAPTATIONS
Strong legs for jumping/swimming, webbed feet
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Wetlands, swamps, slow rivers, artificial ponds in grassy areas
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Southeastern Australia, Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, SA
REPRODUCTION
Lays 1000-4000 eggs in floating masses, tadpoles 2-4 months
DIET DETAILS
Feeds on insects, smaller frogs, small fish, tadpoles
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Habitat loss, chytrid fungus, introduced fish, pollution
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Growling Vocalists: Growling grass frogs’ ‘wrrr-ow-ow’ calls resonate 200 meters in Werribee River’s marshes, signaling breeding for 10,000 survivors. Chytrid fungus, killing 30% since 1990, threatens their wetlands, with conservation ponds aiding recovery.
2
Swift Leapers: Leaping 1.5 meters in Murray River wetlands, they catch 50 insects nightly, their webbed feet escaping fish in Launceston’s ponds. Their role as predators, consuming smaller frogs, persists in urban marshes, though drainage destroys 20% of breeding sites yearly.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Werribee River in Victoria near zoo has wetlands and ponds for frog sightings
Murray River Wetlands in New South Wales near Albury-Wodonga offer protected marshes for frog sightings
Launceston City Park in Tasmania has urban ponds and grassy areas for frog sightings
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
September-March. Spring and summer trigger breeding in wetlands for calling.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Visit ponds at night to hear and spot frogs calling.
