Common Name: Northern Sandhill Frog
Scientific Name: Arenophryne rotunda
Family: Myobatrachidae – Australian Ground Frog family
Location: Australia
Size: 1.0 – 1.3 inches (26 – 33 mm)
The Northern Sandhill Frog lives in the white coastal dunes of the Edel Land Peninsula and Dirk Hartog Island. The frog spends most of the day burrowed in the sands, emerging at night to eat. It is one of two species of frogs in Australia that burrow head first while all the others go backwards.
The male frogs call in the spring from July to November. The frogs partner up and spend the summer together in their burrow. They will finally mate during fall and winter but only lay a few eggs. The eggs are laid in the burrows. The eggs hatch directly into froglets, skipping a free living tadpole phase and skipping the need for water.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Northern Sandhill Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. Though the frog lives in a small, remote area in Australia, it has a stable population and is abundant.