Corroboree frog

Species and appearance

The two species are the southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) and the northern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne pengilleyi). Adults are small (a few centimetres long), with striking longitudinal stripes or bands of yellow, orange or green set against a dark background. Their coloration is a visual warning: they secrete alkaloid toxins that make them unpalatable to predators.

Habitat, range and life cycle

Corroboree frogs occupy montane and subalpine sphagnum bogs, wet heath and grassy swamp vegetation. Breeding occurs in cool, wet seasons: eggs are laid in damp vegetation or soil and remain under male guard until seasonal floods or heavy rains wash the tadpoles into temporary pools, where they complete development.

Conservation and threats

Both species have suffered marked declines. Major threats include the fungal disease chytridiomycosis, habitat loss and alteration, altered fire regimes and climate-driven changes to hydrology. Conservation responses include captive-breeding programs, disease research, habitat protection and managed reintroductions. Active monitoring and targeted management remain critical.

Distinguishing notes

Though similar in habit and appearance, the two corroboree species differ in distribution and details of patterning and ecology; field identification and conservation planning treat them separately. Their common name derives from an Indigenous Australian word for ceremonial gatherings, reflecting the frogs' striking, paint-like markings.