Amphibian

Red-crowned Toadlet

Pseudophryne australis

Also known as Red-crowned Froglet, Sydney Toadlet

Red-crowned toadlets inhabit shallow, temporary drainage lines carved into Hawkesbury sandstone, sheltering beneath moist leaf litter, moss, and rock slabs. Males produce a distinctive harsh, grating squelch across all months of the year, particularly after light rain, to advertise subterranean nesting sites. Females deposit clutch-bound eggs in damp debris where embryos pause development until heavy downpours inundate the hollows, washing newly hatched tadpoles into ephemeral rock pools.

AmphibianEndemicNocturnal

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—observations

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Near ThreatenedConservation status

Key facts

Diet & preyAnts, Termites, Mites

Predators

Birds
Snakes
Larger frogs

ThreatsHabitat fragmentation from urban development, altered drainage hydrology, bushfires, and chytrid fungus

HabitatsSandstone ridges, moist shale drainage lines, open woodland, and leaf litter

Life span5–8 years

Classification

FamilyMyobatrachidae
SpeciesPseudophryne australis

Range & activity

Range data is not available yet.

Safe observation

Interaction riskLow

Low
Moderate
High
Very high

Why interaction risk is low: Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice: Look for a bright orange or red T-shaped marking on the snout and an orange stripe along the lower spine against dark brown skin.
Support conservation: Refrain from touching frogs or entering ephemeral drainage pools to avoid spreading deadly amphibian pathogens.

Responsible observation

Listening: Listen for its short, grating 'ark' or 'cre-ek' call around drainage lines after rain.
Habitat preservation: Avoid stepping through wet roadside ditches or lifting sandstone rocks where eggs are sheltered.

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