Introduction

A large cosmopolitan family containing about 560 species in about 43 genera. A single species of the nominate genus Rana has reached Australia, where it is confined to Cape York Peninsula and the north-eastern corner of Arnhem Land.

Diagnosis

Characterised in Australia by: firmisternal pectoral girdle; intercalary cartilages absent; small finger and toe discs present; toes fully webbed; a dorso-lateral skin fold on either side.

General References

Barker, J., Grigg, G. & Tyler, M. 1995. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Chipping Norton, NSW : Surrey Beatty & Sons 1995 edn xi, 407 pp.

Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : Reed New Holland 6th edition, 808 pp.

Tyler, M.J. 1999. Australian Frogs. Sydney : Reed New Holland pp. 1-192.

History of changes

• Papurana Dubois, A. 1992. Notes sur la classification des Ranidae (Amphibiens anoures). Bulletin Mensuel de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon 61: 305–352 [325] [Proposed as a subgenus of Rana].

  Type species:

   Rana papua Lesson, 1830 by original designation.
• Tylerana Dubois, A. 1992. Notes sur la classification des Ranidae (Amphibiens anoures). Bulletin Mensuel de la Société Linnéenne de Lyon 61: 305–352 [329] [Proposed as a subgenus of Rana].

  Type species:

   Rana jimiensis Tyler, 1963 by original designation.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Oliver, L.A., Prendini, E., Kraus, F. & Raxworthy, C.J. 2015. Systematics and biogeography of the Hylarana frog (Anura: Ranidae) radiation across tropical Australasia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 90: 176–192 [188]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

IBRA

NT, Qld: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Wet Tropics (WT)

General References

Reilly, S.B., Arifin, U., Stubbs, A.L., Karin, B.R., Kaiser, H., Frederick, J.H., Arida, E., Iskander, D.T. & McGuire, J.A. 2022. Phylogenetic relationships of southern Wallacean ranid frogs (Anura: Ranidae: Hylarana). Zootaxa 5150(4): 591-599

History of changes

• Hylorana daemeli Steindachner, F. 1868. Über eine neue Hylorana-Art von Cap-York in Australien. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien 57: 532-536 [532].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) NHMW 3244 7 specimens, Cape York, QLD; NHMW 16382 2 specimens, Cape York, QLD.
• Hylarana nebulosa Macleay, W. 1877. The batrachians of the Chevert Expedition. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 2: 135-138 [137].

  Type data:

   Holotype whereabouts unknown (presumed lost; incorrectly attributed to QM by Moore, J.A. 1961. The frogs of eastern New South Wales. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 121: 149–386, see Covacevich, J. 1971. Amphibian and reptile type specimens in the Queensland Museum. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 16: 49–68), Cape York, QLD.
• Hyla nobilis De Vis, C.W. 1884. On a new species of Hyla. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland 1: 128-130 [129].

  Type data:

   Syntype(s) whereabouts unknown (presumed lost), Cape York, QLD.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Cogger, H.G., in Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. & Cogger, H.M. 1983. Amphibia and Reptilia. 313 pp. in Walton, D.W. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 1 vi + 313 pp. [55]

Generic Combinations

• Rana daemeli (Steindachner, 1868). —
  Boulenger, G.A. 1914. An annotated list of the batrachians and reptiles collected by the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition and the Wollaston Expedition in Dutch New Guinea. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London 20: 247–275 [250]
• Hylarana daemeli (Steindachner, 1868). —
  Che, J., Pang, J.-F., Zhao, H., Wu, G.-F., Zhao, E.-M. & Zhang, Y.-P. 2007. Phylogeny of Raninae (Anura: Ranidae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43(1): 1–13 (by implication)
• Sylvirana daemeli (Steindachner, 1868). —
  Frost, D.R., Grant, T., Faivovich, J., Bain, R.H., Haas, A., Haddad, C.F.B., de Sá, R.O., Channing, A., Wilkinson, M., Donnellan, S.C., Raxworthy, C.J., Campbell, J.A., Blotto, B.L., Moler, P., Drewes, R.C., Nussbaum, R.A., Lynch, J.D., Green, D.M. & Wheeler, W.C. 2006. The amphibian tree of life. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 297: 1-370 + Fig. 50 foldout [370]
• Papurana daemeli (Steindachner, 1868). —
  Oliver, L.A., Prendini, E., Kraus, F. & Raxworthy, C.J. 2015. Systematics and biogeography of the Hylarana frog (Anura: Ranidae) radiation across tropical Australasia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 90: 176–192

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

North-eastern QLD including Cape York Peninsula, isolated population from north-eastern part of Arnhem Land, NT; also New Guinea.

IBRA

NT, Qld: Arnhem Coast (ARC), Cape York Peninsula (CYP), Wet Tropics (WT)

Ecological Descriptors

Closed forest, nocturnal, open forest, predator, riparian, terrestrial, woodland.

Extra Ecological Information

Direct development, general carnivore.

General References

Zweifel, R.G. 1980. Results of the Archbold expeditions. No. 130. Frogs and lizards from the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea. American Museum Novitates 165: 387-434 (taxonomy)

Common Name References

Barker, J., Grigg, G. & Tyler, M. 1995. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Chipping Norton, NSW : Surrey Beatty & Sons 1995 edn xi, 407 pp. [377] (Water Frog)

Cogger, H.G. 1975. The Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : A.H. & A.W. Reed 584 pp. [113] (Wood Frog)

History of changes