Wallum Froglet - profile

Indicative distribution

Loading map...

Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Crinia tinnula

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 20 Dec 2023

Description

Wallum Froglets are small (to about 20mm) and extremely variable in colour and pattern. They range from light grey or brown to dark grey above and usually white or light brown below (sparsely flecked or heavily mottled with darker patches). They have a relatively pointed snout that projects beyond the lower jaw. A fine median line of white dots often occurs on the underside on the throat that may continue across the belly. They have no webbing on their feet and toe pads are absent. Pupils are horizontal. The call is a distinctive short high-pitched ringing ‘tching..tching..’, heard throughout the year, particularly following rain.

Distribution

Wallum Froglets are found along the coastal margin from Litabella National Park in south-east Queensland to Kurnell in Sydney.

Habitat and ecology

Wallum Froglets are found in a wide range of habitats, usually associated with acidic swamps on coastal sand plains. They typically occur in sedgelands and wet heathlands. They can also be found along drainage lines within other vegetation communities and disturbed areas, and occasionally in swamp sclerophyll forests.
The species breeds in swamps with permanent water as well as shallow ephemeral pools and drainage ditches. Breeding is thought to peak in the colder months, but can occur throughout the year following rain. Eggs of 1.1-1.2mm are deposited in water with a pH of <6 and tadpoles take 2-6 months to develop into frogs.
Wallum Froglets shelter under leaf litter, vegetation, other debris or in burrows of other species. Shelter sites are wet or very damp and often located near the water's edge. Males may call throughout the year and at any time of day, peaking following rain.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Destruction and degradation of coastal wetlands as a result of roadworks, coastal developments and sandmining.
Reduction of water quality and modification to acidity in coastal wetlands.
Changes to hydrology of coastal wetlands as a result of a changing climate and/ or sea level rise.
Nutrient enrichment and chemical run off from urban and agricultural areas and as a result of mosquito control.
Predation of tadpoles and eggs by the Plague Minnow Gambusia holbrooki. While little is known of the extent of Plague Minnow predation on Wallum Froglets, it must be considered a potential threat.
Habitat disturbance by feral pigs.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Retain wetland protection buffers in new coastal developments.
Fence off swamps to prevent stock from grazing in these areas.
Protect coastal wetland areas.
Manage and control pest species including cane toads, feral pigs and Plague Minnow in accordance with approved Threat Abatement Plans.
Apply fire regime appropriate for vegetation type (frequency varying between 6-35 year intervals) and ensure standing water is present if undertaking prescribed burns.
Control incursion of weeds into coastal wetland habitat
Rehabilitate or recreate former and existing habitat degraded or destroyed by grazing, sandmining and other activities

Information sources

Anstis, M. (2013) Tadpoles and frogs of Australia. (New Holland, Sydney.)
Cogger. H.G. (2014) Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. 7th Edition. (CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood.)
Goldingay, R.L. and Taylor, B.D. (2006) How many frogs are killed on a road in North-east New South Wales? Australian Zoologist 33(3): 332-336
Hines, H., Hero, J., Meyer, E., Newell, D. and Clarke, J. (2004) The IUCN Red List of threatened species - Crinnia tinnula.
Letnic, M. and Fox, B.J. (1997) The impact of industrial fluoride fallout on faunal succession following sand-mining of dry sclerophyll forest at Tomago, NSW, II. Myobatrachid frog recolonization. Biological conservation 82(2): 137-146
Meyer, E., Hero, J-M., Shoo, L. and Lewis, B. (2006) National recovery plan for the wallum sedgefrog and other wallum-dependent frog species. Report to Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Canberra. (Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane)
Renwick, J. (2006) Population structure and genetic diversity of Southeast Queensland populations of the Wallum Froglet, Crinia tinnula (Tschudi). PhD thesis, School of Natural Resources, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

NSW North Coast	Coffs Coast and Escarpment	Known	Within 10 km of coast
NSW North Coast	Karuah Manning	Known	None
NSW North Coast	Macleay Hastings	Known	Within 10 km of coast
NSW North Coast	Yuraygir	Known	Within 10 km of coast
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
South Eastern Queensland	Burringbar-Conondale Ranges	Known	Within 10 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Clarence Lowlands	Known	Within 30 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Scenic Rim	Known	Within 10 km of coast
South Eastern Queensland	Sunshine Coast-Gold Coast Lowlands	Known	Within 10 km of coast
Sydney Basin	Hunter	Known	None
Sydney Basin	Pittwater	Known	Kurnell Penninsula, the margins of Botany Bay
Sydney Basin	Wyong	Known	None

Sounds

Images

Wallum Froglet
Enlarge image

Related information

Get involved

Report a sighting

Nature conservation

Threatened species