Loveridge’s Frog

Restricted distribution in Southeast Queensland near the Queensland/New South Wales border and south over the border to the Gibraltar Range.The area of occurrence of the species is approximately 1900 km2.No documented declines.

Inhabits rainforests above 1000m elevation in areas of soft, moist soil.Breeding is stimulated by higher temperatures in November and December. Males call from underground, often in flask-shaped burrows. About 20 – 30 eggs are deposited in a frothy nest in the burrow. Larvae emerge from the eggs after several days and then move to the top of the jelly mass and live entirely on the yolk from the eggs. They emerge frog the nest as tiny frogs.

No known declines in population or extent of occurrence.ThreatsIn the past a considerable area of the species habitat was cleared or logged. A majority of the habitat is now in reserves and protected from clearing or timber harvesting.Disturbances upstream that affect hydrological processes and/or water quality may threaten the species.Stock (cattle) have been observed at a number of breeding sites.Conservation MeasuresListed as rare in QLD and vulnerable in NSW therefore the species is protected by state legislation. Most of its habitat is within National Parks and is therefore also protected.

Loveridge's frog (Philoria loveridgei), also known as the masked mountain frog, is a species of frogs in the family Limnodynastidae.

It is endemic to Australia.

Its natural habitats are subtropical and tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, and streams.

It is threatened by habitat loss and by infection of the amphibian chytrid fungus. Loveridge's frog is named in honour of British herpetologist, Arthur Loveridge.