Rowley, Jodi J.L., and Alford, Ross A. (2009) Movement and habitat use of the endangered Australian frog Nyctimystes dayi. Herpetological Review, 40 (1). pp. 29-32.

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Abstract

The Australian Lacelid, Nyctimystes dayi, is an endangered, stream-breeding hylid frog endemic to rainforests in the wet tropics of northeastern Queensland, Australia. During the 1990s, populations of N. dayi declined dramatically, with the species disappearing from all upland (>300 m) areas, where they were once common (Richards et al. 1993; Northern Queensland Threatened Frogs Recovery Team 2001; Trenerry et al. 1994). The proximate cause of these population declines and disappearances was the amphibian disease chytridiomycosis (Berger et al. 1998). This disease had similar effects on several other species sympatric with N. dayi (Berger et al. 1998). Habitat modification and fragmentation are also potential stressors for N. dayi populations, since approximately 20% of the wet tropics region has been clear cut since 1880 (Winter et al. 1987), and smaller-scale clearing still occurs in non-protected areas (e.g., for pastures, human settlement and associated infrastructure; Department of Natural Resources and Water 2007).

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