Common Name: Pouched Frog, Hip-pocket Frog, Marsupial Frog
Scientific Name: Assa darlingtoni
Family: Myobatrachidae – Australian Ground Frog family
Location: Australia – Queensland and New South Wales
Size: 0.78 inches (2 cm)
The Pouched Frog is found in eastern Australia near Brisbane. They live amongst the leaf litter on the floor of rain or eucalypt forests.
The frog breeds between September to December. Pouched Frogs lay around 10 eggs at a time on land. They are able to lay their eggs on land thanks to a special trick. Once the eggs start to hatch, the male frogs come close to the tadpoles and let them slide into their pouches on their side. The tadpoles stay their for two months and then emerge as little frogs.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Pouched Frog as Vulnerable to Extinction. Almost a third of their habitat was cleared for timber resources and now the frog is known found in 6 defined spots. Unfortunately, these spots are susceptible to droughts and forest fires.