Publications
Wildlife Australia, April 1997
ISBN 0 6422 1400 X
1. Family Leptodactylidae
2. Scientific Name Taudactylus rheophilus
3. English Name Tinkling Frog
4. Intraspecific taxa
None.
5. Species survival status
Endangered. Has undergone a sudden range contraction and has not been observed in the wild since November 1991 (Martin and McDonald 1995).
6. Former distribution
Described from Mt Lewis, Qld, in 1973. Geographic records range from Thornton Peak (16o10'S, 145o22'E) to Mount Bellenden Ker (17o16'S, 145o22'E) in four disjunct populations at altitudes of 940-1300m (McDonald 1992).
7. Current distribution
There are no known populations extant. Historical records suggest the existence of four allopatric populations. It was observed 7 km north of Mt Spurgeon in October and November 1991 and 5 km north of Mossman Gorge on Carbine Tableland in November 1990. A 1992 survey failed to locate any specimens (Richards et al. 1993).
8. Habitat
Beneath logs, roots and rocks in seepage and trickle areas adjacent to fast flowing streams.
9. Reasons for decline
Unknown. Richards et al. (1993) reject drought, floods, habitat destruction or pollution by pesticides, inorganic ions or heavy metals.
10. Conservation reserves on which species occurs
Qld: Daintree and Wooroonooran National Parks.
11. Other public lands on which species occurs
Qld: Mt Lewis and Lamb Range State Forests.
12. Other land on which species occurs
None.
13. Is knowledge about species adequate for objectives and actions to be defined accurately?
No. The eggs and spawn clump have been described but the larval stages are unknown.
14. Recovery Plan objectives
14.1. To establish the continued existence of the species.
14.2. To determine the causal agent/s responsible for the decline of the species.
14.3. To reduce or eliminate threatening processes.
14.4. To ensure that frog conservation is considered in all relevant land management decisions.
15. Management actions completed or under way
15.1. This species, along with seven other Wet Tropics species, is the subject of a recovery program for threatened frogs of Qld and northern NSW (Coordinator: K.R. McDonald, Qld Department of Environment). The program involves survey, monitoring, ecological research and research into potential causes of decline.
15.2. A draft recovery plan has been prepared (Martin and McDonald 1995).
16. Management actions required
Management actions outlined in the draft recovery plan include:
16.1. Monitoring.
16.2. Research into causes of decline.
16.3. Ecological research.
16.4. Captive breeding.
16.5. Genetic studies.
16.6. Public information.
17. Organisations responsible for conservation of species
Qld Department of Environment.
18. Other organisations involved
James Cook University, Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, Wet Tropics Management Authority, Qld Department of Natural Resources, amateur frog clubs.
19. Can recovery plan be carried out with existing resources?
No.
Draft Recovery Plan for Wet Tropics frogs, including this species, includes: survey and monitoring component ($75K per annum); identification of cause of decline (total cost $249K); captive breeding (total cost $504K). Total cost of implementation of the draft Recovery Plan is estimated at $1647K over 5 years (7 species).
Total (average cost per species) $235.3K
References:
Martin, W.E. and McDonald, K.R. 1995. Draft recovery plan for the stream-dwelling rainforest frogs of the Wet Tropics biogeographic region of north-east Queensland. Unpublished report to the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.
McDonald, K.R. 1992. Distribution patterns and conservation status of north Queensland rainforest frogs. Conservation Technical Report No. 1. Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage, Brisbane.
Richards, S.J., McDonald, K.R., Alford, R.A. 1993. Declines in populations of Australia's endemic tropical rainforest frogs. Pacific Conservation Biology 1: 66-77.
Herpetological authorities consulted:
R.A. Alford, K.R. McDonald, S.J. Richards.