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| Growling grass frog | |
|---|---|
| Name | Growling grass frog |
| Status | Vulnerable |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Ranoidea |
| Species | raniformis |
| Authority | (Keferstein, 1867) |
Growling grass frog The growling grass frog is a large Australasian treefrog known for its deep, resonant call and amphibious habits. It has been the focus of conservation programs by agencies such as the IUCN, WWF, and regional governments, and figures in research at institutions including the Australian Museum, CSIRO, and multiple universities. Populations have been impacted by pathogens, habitat alteration, and introduced species studied by ecologists and conservationists.
The species was described by Wilhelm Keferstein in 1867 and assigned to a lineage within the family Pelodryadidae; taxonomic revisions have involved researchers from the Australian Museum, Museum Victoria, and academic groups at the University of Melbourne and Monash University. The current placement in the genus Ranoidea followed systematic studies published in journals associated with the Zoological Society of London and collaborations including the Australian Research Council. Vernacular names used historically include references in field guides by the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales and checklists produced by the Atlas of Living Australia.
Adults are large for Australasian hylids and exhibit a robust body, webbed feet, and variable dorsal coloration noted in surveys by the National Herbarium of New South Wales and the Western Australian Museum. Morphological descriptions appear in monographs authored by herpetologists at Museum Victoria and illustrated in guides distributed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Distinguishing features used by taxonomists include cranial morphology measured in studies from the University of Sydney and skin texture comparisons made in papers appearing in journals of the Linnean Society.
Native range maps produced by the Atlas of Living Australia, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (Queensland), and conservation reports from the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage show populations across southeastern Australia including riverine systems catalogued by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority and coastal wetlands recorded by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Habitats include ephemeral wetlands documented in ecological assessments conducted for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority impact statements and floodplain studies by the Bureau of Meteorology. Disjunct records exist in areas surveyed by teams from the University of Tasmania and regional councils such as the Goulburn Mulwaree Council.
Field studies by researchers affiliated with the Australian National University, Deakin University, and the University of Queensland describe nocturnal calling behavior taking place in reed beds monitored during projects funded by the Australian Research Council and conservation NGOs including the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales. Diet analyses in papers co-authored by scientists from the CSIRO and the Australian Museum report predation on invertebrates catalogued by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Predators and ecological interactions are documented in studies published through the Ecological Society of Australia and in collaborative work with the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
Breeding phenology has been tracked by teams at the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, and field stations managed by the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas, with egg masses placed in vegetation-rich pools similar to habitats described in management plans by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Larval development times and metamorphosis patterns are reported in journals supported by the Australian Society for Fish Biology and were included in a regional species recovery plan coordinated with the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. Long-term monitoring by councils such as the City of Melbourne and university researchers provides data on longevity and recruitment.
The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is the subject of recovery actions by state agencies including the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority and the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Major threats cited in assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services-cited literature include habitat loss from developments approved by local planning authorities such as the Greater Sydney Commission, invasive species management issues addressed by the Invasive Species Council, and disease pressure from chytrid fungus investigated by teams at the University of Melbourne and the Imperial College London collaborating on amphibian pathogen research. Conservation measures have involved captive-breeding programs run by institutions including the Healesville Sanctuary and translocation trials overseen by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
Human interactions encompass community-led habitat restoration projects organized by groups like Landcare Australia and scientific research conducted at facilities such as the CSIRO and university laboratories including the University of Sydney. The species features in educational materials produced by the Australian Museum and in biodiversity citizen-science initiatives run via the Atlas of Living Australia and local councils. Ongoing research collaborations with international centers such as Imperial College London and regional partners like the Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia) continue to inform policy by agencies such as the Australian Research Council and conservation NGOs.
Category:Ranoidea Category:Amphibians of Australia