Cophixalus saxatilis

Conservation Status

Calling Period

Description

A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to nearly 5 cm in body length. It has a grey or pale yellow back, with dark brown mottling. There is a dark brown horizontal stripe between the eyes, a dark brown W-shaped marking on the upper back, and pale yellow eye-spots on the lower back. There is often a dark brown stripe from the nostril to behind the eye. The eyelids are white or yellow. The belly is pale yellow. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. The groin and back of the thighs are orange. Fingers and toes are unwebbed, both with large discs. In contrast to the male, females are uniform bright yellow except for the groin and back of the thighs, which are the same colour as the male's.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid on land as a small cluster connected by a thin jelly string under rocks. The nest is guarded by the male, as it is with other Cophixalus species. Tadpoles never swim in water; instead they develop entirely inside the egg and hatch as little frogs. It is unknown how long they take to develop into frogs, but Cophixalus ornatus eggs have been recorded taking 28 days to hatch. Breeds during spring to summer after rain.

Similar Species

Does not look similar to any other species in its distribution.