Common Name: Eastern Banjo Frog, Southern Banjo Frog, or Pobblebonk
Scientific Name: Limnodynastes dumerilii
Family: Myobatrachidae – Australian Ground Frog family
Locations: Australia – Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania
Size: 2 – 3.3 inches (50 – 85 mm)
The Eastern Banjo Frog is found in southeastern Australia and Tasmania. They received their name due to their call that sounds like a bonk from banjo being plucked. The frogs are also called Pobblebonk for that reason.
The frogs are fossorial and spend most of their time underground. They come up to the surface at night and during the rains. Breeding follows the rains from August to April. Females lay around 4000 eggs. Tadpoles take a long time to complete their metamorphism. In warm weather, it takes 4 – 5 months while in colder weather, it takes 12 – 15 months.
There are five different subspecies of the Eastern Banjo Frog. They vary in coloration, location, and the sound of their calls slightly. Below is a general map showing where the subspecies are.
Limnodynastes dumerilii dumerilii in blue; Limnodynastes dumerilii grayi in red; Limnodynastes dumerilii insularis in green; Limnodynastes dumerilii fryi in pink and Limnodynastes dumerilii variegata in yellow.
Limnodynastes dumerilii dumerilii has a orange stripe down its side and under its eye. It has a very distinguished BONK call.
Limnodynastes dumerilii grayi has more of a tok call instead of a bonk.
Snowy Mountains Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii fryi) is found only in the Snowy Mountains hence the name for the subspecies.
Southern Banjo Frog (Limnodynastes dumerilii insularis) is the southern most subspecies of Eastern Banjo Frog. It has a blue coloration on their side.
Limnodynastes dumerilii variegata is distinguished by the area that they are found.
