reptiles & amphibians
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About Reptiles & Amphibians
The Darebin Creek Froggers
List of Melbourne Reptiles
List of Melbourne Amphibians
References
About Reptiles & Amphibians
Amphibians were the first land vertebrates. They require a moist environment in which to live. Water is essential in the early stages of development of amphibians, in which they lay their eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae, or tadpoles, which usually live in water feeding off algae.
In recent years the numbers of the Growling Grass Frog in Melbourne's freshwaters has dropped considerably. Prefering still, permanent waters, it has a distinctive guttural call and can secrete a toxic liquid from its skin.
Reptiles differ to amphibians in that they they have scales on their skin to protect them from water loss, their lungs are more efficient and they lay eggs with a leathery protective skin - all of which free them from the water dependence of their amphibian ancestors.
Many reptiles, such as the long-necked tortoise, tiger snake and blue-tongued lizard make Melbourne's freshwaters and surrounds their home. Several native reptiles, such as the striped legless lizard are now endagered.
The Darebin Creek Froggers
The Darebin Creek Froggers have been monitoring frogs living along the Darebin Creek since 2002. Every Spring and Autumn the Froggers meet up to record frogs for Melbourne Water's Frog Census.
Get involved: A number of frog events are held in the Darebin Creek Catchment every year. The best way to find out what events are happening is to join the mailing list by emailing info@dcmc.org.au.
Check out the Frog Fact Sheet on the DCMC website.
List of Melbourne Reptiles
Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scinocoides)
Garden Skink (Lampropholis guichenoti)
Grass Skink (Pseudomoia entrecasteauxii)
Large Striped Skink (Ctenotus robustus)
Lined earless Gragon (Tympanocryptus lineata pinguiula)
Little Whip Snake (Suta flagellum)
Long-necked Tortoise (Chelodian longicollis)
Marbled Gecko (Phyllodactylus marmoratus)
Red-bellied Black Snake (Pheudechis porphyriucus)
Southern Water Skink (Sphenomorphus tympanum)
Striped Legless Lizard (Delmar impar)
Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus)
List of Melbourne Amphibians
Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis)
Pobble-bonk Frog (Limnodynastes dumerelli)
Spotted Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis)
References
:: Marshall, Brett & Bainbridge, Brian. Creek Life: flora and fauna of the Merri Creek Valley, Merri Creek Management Committee, East Brunswick, Victoria 1995.
::Melbourne Museum Website "Growling Grass Frog"
:: Peter H. Raven & George B. Johnson. Biology, Times Mirror / Mosby College Publishing 1989.
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