Main's Frog

About the Main's Frog

Main's frog (Cyclorana maini) is a species of frog in the family Pelodryadidae. It is endemic to western and central Australia. The frog is named after Professor Bert Main of the University of Western Australia, a pioneer of southern Western Australia frogs.

Its skin may vary from pale grey-brown, olive-brown, dull green on its back, with darker patches. The back is smooth or slightly rough or warty in appearance. Look for the distinct pale stripe that runs along the spine. There is often a dark lateral head stripe.

The male frogs breeding call sounds like the bleating of sheep. The tadpoles of the Main's frog are fairly large, varying in colour from orange-gold, copper pink over a grey base, dense grey-gold or dull gold with dark speckling.

Usually found in temporary pools in watercourses, claypans and other short-lived bodies of water, its habitat also include open grassland, lightly forested areas, tropical dry lowland grassland, intermittent rivers, swamps, intermittent freshwater marshes and stream beds in temporary flood plains.

This water-holding frog has adapted to desert conditions. This species lives in some of the harshest... Wikipedia →