Mosleyia

Mosleyia
Waterfall frog in Paluma, Queensland, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Pelodryadidae
Genus: Mosleyia
Wells & Wellington, 1985
Species

Mosleyia is a genus of stream-dwelling frogs in the family Pelodryadidae. These frogs are native to the tropical rainforests of north-eastern Queensland Australia. Species in the genus were previously included within the wastebasket genus Litoria, but were separated into a new genus in 2025.[1] They are medium sized frogs that breed in fast-flowing streams by gluing their eggs to the underside of rocks that are protected by the cascading water. Their tadpoles have adapted to this environment by evolving a strong suctoral disc on their mouths, which point downward so the can grip to the creek-bed in very fast-flowing water[2].

The genus is named for Geoff Mosley AM, the director of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 1973 to 1986.

References

  1. ^ Donnellan, Stephen C.; Mahony, Michael J.; Esquerré, Damien; Brennan, Ian G.; Price, Luke C.; Lemmon, Alan; Moriarty Lemmon, Emily; Günther, Rainer; Monis, Paul; Bertozzi, Terry; Keogh, J. Scott; Shea, Glenn M.; Richards, Stephen J. (2025-06-19). "Phylogenomics informs a generic revision of the Australo-Paupuan treefrogs (Anura: Pelodryadidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 204 (2). Oxford Academic: 1–80. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf015. Retrieved 2026-04-01.
  2. ^ Anstis, Marion (2013). Tadpoles and Frogs of Australia. Sydney, NSW: Reed New Holland. p. 50. ISBN 9781921517310.