Publications
Wildlife Australia, April 1997
ISBN 0 6422 1400 X
1. Family Leptodactylidae
2. Scientific Name Taudactylus diurnus
3. English Name Mt Glorious Torrent Frog, Day Frog, Southern Day Frog
4. Intraspecific taxa
None.
5. Species survival status
Endangered. The species has not been located since 1979 (Czechura and Ingram 1990). Previously it was an abundant diurnal species and conspicuous within its geographic range.
6. Former distribution
Confined to the Conondale, D'Aguilar and Blackall Ranges in south east Queensland.
7. Current distribution
It is not known whether this species persists anywhere within its former range. Current information indicates that it does not. Regular searches have been conducted unsuccessfully up to December 1995 (Ingram and McDonald 1993, M. Cunningham pers. comm.).
8. Habitat
Closely associated with creeks and rock pools in montane rainforest, tall open forest and other riparian vegetation.
9. Reasons for decline
Unknown. As for Rheobatrachus silus, with which it coexisted, Tyler and Davies (1985) found no obvious evidence that over-collecting, pollution from logging or gold-panning, or drought were responsible for the population decline.
10. Conservation reserves on which species occurs
Kondalilla, Conondale, Mapleton Falls, Obi Obi Gorge, Maiala, and Manorina National Parks.
11. Other public lands on which species occurs
None known.
12. Other land on which species occurs
None known.
13. Is knowledge about species adequate for objectives and actions to be defined accurately?
No. However, the principal issue remains whether the species is still extant.
14. Recovery Plan objectives
14.1. To verify the continued existence of populations of T. diurnus anywhere within the former range of the species.
14.2. To ensure that frog conservation objectives are incorporated into all appropriate land management decisions by raising awareness of the declining frog problem in all levels of the government and the community.
15. Management actions completed or under way
15.1. Intensive and extensive surveys have been conducted by the Queensland Museum, University of Queensland and by the Qld Departments of Natural Resources and of Environment as part of a recovery program for threatened frogs of Qld and northern NSW (Coordinator: K.R. McDonald, Qld Department of Environment).
15.2. A draft Recovery Plan has been prepared for this species in conjunction with Rheobatrachus silus (Martin and McDonald 1996).
15.3. A draft Species Management Profile has been prepared by the Qld Department of Natural Resources to provide forestry field staff with information about the species and advise on any current management requirements.
16. Management actions required
Actions outlined in the draft recovery plan include:
16.1. Monitoring.
16.2. Dissemination of information to conservation agencies, State government departments, community groups, industry, local authorities and the general public.
16.3. Encouragement of community participation in frog survey and monitoring.
16.4. Consultation with land managers to ensure habitat protection.
17. Organisation responsible for conservation of species
Qld Department of Environment.
18. Other organisations involved
Qld Department of Natural Resources, University of Queensland, Queensland Museum, amateur frog clubs.
19. Can recovery plan be carried out with existing resources?
No
Efforts to rediscover this species should be made in conjunction with Rheobatrachus silus, with which it co-exists. Funding outlined in the draft Recovery plan , which includes both species, includes salary costs for running workshops on threatened frogs and training volunteers (part time), travel costs and equipment (for three years). Total budget $21K (for two species).
Total (average cost per species) $10.5K
References:
Czechura, G.V. and Ingram, G.J. 1990. Taudactylus diurnus and the case of the disappearing frogs. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 29(2): 361-365.
Ingram, G.J. and McDonald, K.R. 1993. An update on the decline of Queensland's frogs. pp 297-303 in Herpetology in Australia. A diverse discipline. Eds D. Lunney and D. Ayers, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman.
Martin, W.E. and McDonald, K.E. 1996. Draft recovery plan for Rheobatrachus silus and Taudactylus diurnus. Unpublished report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.
Tyler, M.J. and Davies, M. 1985. The Gastric Brooding Frog. pp. 469-470 in Biology of Australasian frogs and reptiles. Eds G. Grigg, R. Shine, and H. Ehmann, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman.
Herpetological authorities consulted:
C.J. Corben, G.V. Czechura, G.J. Ingram, K.R. McDonald, S.J. Richards.