Image: Spotted Marsh Frog Life cycle

Spotted Marsh Frog Life cycle

The life cycle of a Spotted Marsh Frog, Limnodynastes tasmaniensis

Andrew Howells
© Australian Museum


Spotted Marsh Frogs are amphibians. They have four stages in their life cycle: egg - tadpole - metamorph - adult.

Adult Spotted Marsh Frogs have round green spots and dark brown spots on their back. They also have a white, yellow or red stripe down their back. Their belly is white and they have a white stripe under their eyes. Most are around 4.5 cm.

Spotted Marsh Frogs live in the eastern half of Australia. They can be found in swamps, lagoons and creeks in wet coastal areas and dry inland areas.

Spotted Marsh Frogs eat water insects, flying insects and spiders.

Birds, lizards, snakes, turtles and water rats all like to eat Spotted Marsh Frogs.

Adult Spotted Marsh Frogs breathe by inhaling air into their lungs. They can also absorb oxygen through their wet skin when they are out of the water. Tadpoles get oxygen from the water through their gills.

When Spotted Marsh Frogs breed, males use a mating call to attract females. The males then make a floating foam or bubble raft in which the eggs are placed. When the tadpoles hatch out, they drop into the water.

The Spotted Marsh Frog's call sounds like "kuk-kuk-kuk".

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Tags illustration, spotted, marsh, frog, needs factsheet, Wild Kids,

1 comment

AnneG - 4.02 PM, 20 February 2011
The photo ("frogspawn 5") is of an egg mass I lifted from my tiny garden pond 3 days ago. I *think* its a Spotted Grass Frog but have only heard the call, not seen the adult. I'm planning to raise the tadpoles in an aquarium and put back in the pond when they metamorphose.

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