THREATENED SPECIES SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

The Minister’s delegate approved this Conservation Advice on 13/07/2017 .

Conservation Advice Taudactylus pleione

Kroombit Tinker Frog

Conservation Status Taudactylus pleione (Kroombit tinker frog) is listed as Critically Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act) effective January 2012 after a reassessment of the listing status of the species.

Prior to the reassessment it was listed in the Vulnerable category under the EPBC Act. It was eligible for listing under this category as prior to the commencement of the EPBC Act, it was listed as Vulnerable under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Cwlth).

The Kroombit tinker frog is listed as Endangered in Queensland under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

The main factors that are the cause of the species being eligible for listing in the Critically Endangered category are its very restricted geographic distribution which is fragmented, and low number of mature individuals (TSSC 2012).

This species’ status under the EBPC Act is currently being reviewed as part of a species expert assessment plan for frogs.

Description The Kroombit tinker frog is a small frog, with adults growing to a snout-vent length between 25 - 35 mm. It is reddish brown to grey dorsally with darker brown flecks, spots and blotches. Of these dark markings there is a prominent broad bar of approximately uniform width between the eyes, a roughly X-shaped blotch between the shoulders, broad lateral bands and a bar or blotch either side of the groin. A broad dark lateral stripe extends from the snout through the eye and ear. Limbs and digits have conspicuous dark cross-bars and digits are not webbed. The toes are indistinctly flanged. The posterior surface of thighs is yellow-grey, with brown bars and specks. The venter (underside) is smooth, translucent grey with dense cream and brown mottling and speckling (M. Cunningham unpublished data, Czechura 1986a, Meyer et al. 2001 cited in TSSC 2012).

The male mating call consists of a regularly repeated series of around 8 – 12 metallic tinks, each series lasting two to four seconds, then repeated at intervals of three to ten seconds.

Distribution The Kroombit tinker frog has an extremely restricted distribution. The species is only known from nine small unconnected patches of notophyll rainforest between 400 m and 800 m above sea level in Kroombit Tops National Park, south-west of Gladstone, Queensland, between the Kroombit plateau and the Eastern escarpment . This range is in the Fitzroy Natural Resource Management region, the south-east Queensland IBRA bioregion (EPA, 2007; DERM, unpublished data, 2009) and the Northeast Coast Drainage Division.

It is believed that the species is a relic species, restricted to Kroombit Tops National Park through habitat fragmentation that disrupted rainforest connections between southern and north- east Queensland (Czechura, 1986a). Within the rainforest patches, populations are clumped around steep drainage lines and seepage areas. In 2012 the extent of occurrence for the Kroombit tinker frog was estimated to be 30 km 2 .(DERM, unpublished data, 2009). In

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December 2010, surveys by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service located 11 mature calling males (DERM, unpublished data, 2011a).

Relevant Biology/Ecology The Kroombit tinker frog is cryptic and is mainly associated with Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (piccabeen palm) notophyll rainforest and boulder scree gullies (Clarke et al., 1999; Czechura, 1986a; Meyer et al., 2001). The species is found around rocky shelves and boulders, leaf litter, under rocks or in deep rock piles in the vicinity of permanent and ephemeral rocky seepage and in sheltered rocky scree (Clarke et al., 1999). Most sites have little or no surface water (Clarke, pers. comm., 2001 in TSSC 2012). Unlike other species of Taudactylus , the Kroombit tinker frog has never been observed basking (Czechura, 1986b).

On the plateau the species has been found in vegetation dominated by Ceratopetalum apetalum (coachwood) and/or piccabeen palm and often with emergent Araucaria cunninghamii (hoop pine). Wet sclerophyll species including Eucalyptus saligna (Sydney blue gum) and Lophostemon confertus (brush box) occur along the rainforest margins but are replaced by drier forest eucalypts further up-slope. Populations below the escarpment occur in steep boulder strewn drainage lines that are dominated by piccabeen palm closed forest with emergent hoop pine and other rainforest trees (Czechura, 1986a; Cunningham and James, 1994; Borsboom et al., 1999; Clarke et al., 1999; Hines and SEQTFRT, 2002).

During autumn and winter, the Kroombit tinker frog appears to be inactive and hidden within rocky shelves and rock piles, or under large boulders. Males of the species usually begin calling in spring following periods of ongoing rainfall when temperatures and humidity are high. The Kroombit tinker frog is very difficult to find when not calling. During the calling season, males may call from early evening, continuing well into the night and sometimes into the following day. Males can be heard calling most reliably from October to February, but may start as early as late August and continue into early May if conditions are suitable. There is virtually no information on the breeding cycle, although females with eggs have been found from December to February (Hines and SEQTFRT, 2002; EPA, 2007). Eggs, tadpoles and oviposition sites have not been observed (Clarke et al., 1999). It is suspected that this species breeds in seepage areas amongst rock piles and that tadpoles remain hidden (Meyer, pers. comm., 2002 in TSSC 2012). Sexual maturity is estimated to occur at 2 – 3 years, and life expectancy is estimated to be 7 – 8 years (DERM, unpublished data, 2009). The generation length of the species is estimated to be five years.

The information above was taken from the EPBC Act listing advice prepared for the Kroombit tinker frog (TSSC 2012).

Threats The Kroombit tinker frog is threatened by Chytridiomycosis caused by infection with the chytrid fungus, and by trampling/rooting by feral pigs (Sus scrofa ), feral horses (Eqqus caballus ), cattle (Bos taurus ), by predation from cane toads (Rhinella marina ), cattle (Bos taurus) and fire. These threats are described in the table below. Each threat has a corresponding conservation and management priority.

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Table 1 – Threats impacting the Kroombit tinker frog in approximate order of severity of risk, based on available evidence. Taken from the EPBC Act listing advice prepared for the Kroombit tinker frog (TSSC 2012).

Threat factor Threat Evidence base type and status Disease Chytridiomycosis potential The disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the amphibian caused by current chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is likely to chytrid fungus have caused the extirpation of the species in the Kroombit Creek catchment (Berger et al., 1998; Berger et al., 1999; Longcore et al., 1999; Skerratt et al., 2007). The Kroombit tinker frog has not been identified in this catchment since 2008 (DERM, unpublished data, 2011a). The disease is fatal in many frog species and is associated with declines and disappearances of species elsewhere in Queensland and globally, including Taudactylus species. There is no information on the prevalence of this disease in populations of the Kroombit tinker frog as the sample size has been too small to detect the disease (DERM, unpublished data, 2010). However the disease has been found in other frog species at Kroombit Tops National Park such as Litoria [lesueuri] wilcoxii and L. pearsoniana (Berger et al., 2004). Several dead or moribund Litoria [lesueuri] wilcoxii infected with B. dendrobatidis were collected from rock piles and forest debris utilised by the Kroombit tinker frog. The Eungella region frogs of the Litoria lesueuri complex may be reservoirs for the disease and could therefore play a substantial role in the maintenance and spread of the chytrid infection (Retallick et al. 2004). The surviving populations of the Kroombit tinker frog at Kroombit Tops National Park occur in smaller patches of rainforest along steep drainage lines. The species may be restricted to this habitat as there is too little surface water in these areas to support other frog species, which serve as reservoirs for the chytrid infection (Low, 2010). Invasive species Feral Pigs and suspected Feral horses and feral pigs threaten the Kroombit tinker frog Feral Horses current (Clarke et al., 1999; Borsboom et al., 1999). In 2011 feral pigs had caused significant damage to at least two sites known to support the Kroombit tinker frog in Kroombit Tops National Park (TSSC 2012). Although there may be direct predation by pigs on the frog or its eggs or larvae, the greatest effect is likely to be the impact of increased silt on embryos and tadpoles. Streams in the area now carry heavy silt loads (TSSC 2012). Silt reduces the availability of food for tadpoles and reduces their fitness at metamorphosis. There is evidence that feral pigs have previously damaged the species’ breeding, feeding and sheltering habitat and caused the loss of individuals as a result of being crushed during foraging or wallowing (DERM, unpublished data, 2009). Soil disturbance by pigs is also likely to greatly increase the spread of riparian weeds such as mistflower ( Ageratina

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Threat factor Threat Evidence base type and status riparia ) and crofton weed ( Ageratina adenophora ) (Hines and SEQTFRT, 2002), causing habitat alteration. Feral Horses known Feral horses cause have been mustered alongside domestic current cattle in the Kroombit Tops National Park. and feral horse control has been undertaken, however they are still known to occur in the park and continue to pose a threat to the Kroombit tinker frog mainly through the destruction of habitat and fouling of water (Clarke et al., 1999). Cane toads known Cane toads may threaten the Kroombit tinker frog given they potential are known from several sites where it is found (TSSC 2012). Cane toads may act as a vector for the chytrid fungus and may predate on adults and juveniles (although, there has been no direct evidence of predation) (DERM, unpublished data, 2011b). Domestic Species Domestic Cattle known Cattle occur in Kroombit Tops National Park, and mustering current of cattle has occurred several times in the past. Cattle pose a threat to the Kroombit tinker frog mainly through the destruction of habitat and fouling of water (Clarke et al., 1999). In 2010 a fence was constructed to exclude cattle from the park, but impacts at the head of Kroombit Creek continue (TSSC 2012). As the Kroombit tinker frog is now only found in the very rugged, steep terrain of the drainage lines below the escarpment, which is inaccessible to cattle, cattle are no longer a direct threat to the Kroombit tinker frog (Low, 2010), however impacts at the head of Kroombit Creek continue and affect water quality downstream in the species’ current habitat. Fire Wildfire and Known The habitat of the Kroombit tinker frog is notophyll rainforest weed invasion current patches surrounded by flammable eucalypt forest. During past conditions of low soil moisture and high temperatures, high intensity fires can burn into and sometimes through these notophyll rainforest patches. High intensity wildfires in 1994 and 2007 burned into many rainforest patches used by the species possibly killing the species and/or directly and indirectly damaging its habitat (Hines et al. 1999; DERM, unpublished data, 2009). Following these fires many rainforest trees died and fell, creating large gaps in the canopy which allowed weeds such as lantana (Lantana camara ) to establish. It is also likely that colonisation by weeds such as lantana impede the regeneration of rainforest patches post fire events (Gentle and Duggin, 1997). It is possible that the 1994 wildfire may be partially responsible for the decline of the species in the Kroombit Creek catchment (Cunningham, 1995).

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Conservation Actions

Conservation and Management priorities Disease

o Minimise the spread of the chytrid fungus by implementing suitable hygiene protocols (Murray 2011) to protect priority populations as described in the Threat abatement plan for infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis (Department of the Environment and Energy 2016). o Develop and implement translocation strategies for the Kroombit tinker frog to establish new populations whilst preventing the accidental spread of the chytrid fungus (Department of the Environment and Energy 2016). Invasive species

o Manage priority sites to reduce the impacts of habitat destruction by feral pigs and feral horses by using fencing around notophyll patches that contain populations of the frog, and by reducing pig and horse numbers at a larger scale. Domestic Species

o If cattle grazing occurs in the area, ensure land owners and managers use an appropriate management regime and density that does not detrimentally affect this species and exclude cattle from the notophyll patches that contain, or may contain, remaining populations of the Kroombit tinker frog. at important sites through exclusion fencing or other barriers. Fire o Fires must be managed to ensure that prevailing fire regimes do not disrupt the life cycle of the Kroombit tinker frog, that they support rather than degrade the habitat, that they do not promote invasion of exotic species, and that they do not increase impacts of grazing/predation. o Carry out careful prescribed burning activities in the drier forests surrounding the notophyll rainforest pockets in order to reduce the risk of wildfires affecting those notophyll habitats. Stakeholder Engagement

o Provide disease field protocols for researchers and land managers (handling, diagnostic keys, etc.) and advice on disease management and control. o Interested nature conservation, land management and land holder groups could be engaged in conservation management activities, such as survey and monitoring, but should be made aware of the need to follow correct field practices and hygiene protocols to mitigate the risks of trampling and disease transmission. If necessary, use workshops to aid stakeholders in developing the skills and knowledge required to manage threats to this species while undertaking these activities. o Assist stakeholders in developing and maintaining the skills and knowledge required to manage threats to the Kroombit tinker frog.

Survey and Monitoring priorities • Conduct targeted surveys throughout the range of the Kroombit tinker frog to better define its distribution and abundance.

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o determine trends in population size and distribution,and timing of life history stages; o monitor the progress of recovery, including the effectiveness of management actions and the need to adapt them if necessary.

Information and research priorities • Investigate options for linking, augmenting or establishing additional populations. • Improve understanding of the extent and impact of infection by chytrid fungus on the Kroombit tinker frog to better inform how to apply existing or new management actions relevant to the recovery. This includes knowledge on: o the different strains of the fungus; o levels of virulence; o mechanisms for resistance to the disease; o treatment options; o husbandry methods; o environmental toxins; and o the potential of other species (e.g. freshwater crayfish) to act as reservoirs or vectors for transmission of the fungus (Department of the Environment and Energy 2016). • Improve understanding of the likely impacts of climate change on the Kroombit tinker frog due to altered temperatures, rainfall, environmental stressors and diseases.

References cited in the advice

Berger L, Speare R, Daszak P, Earl Green D, Cunningham AA, Goggin CL, Slocombe R, Ragan MA, Hyatt AD, McDonald KR, Hines HB, Lips KR, Marrantelli G and Parkes H (1998). Chytridiomycosis causes amphibian mortality associated with population declines in the rainforest of Australia and Central America. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 95: 9031–9036.

Berger L, Speare R, Hines HB, Marantelli G, Hyatt AD, McDonald, KR, Skerratt LF, Olsen V, Clarke JM, Gillespie G, Mahony M, Sheppard N, Williams C and Tyler MJ (2004). Effect of season and temperature on mortality in amphibians due to chytridiomycosis. Australian Veterinary Journal 82: 434–439.

Berger L, Speare R and Hyatt A (1999). Chytrid fungi and amphibian declines: Overview, implications and future directions. In ‘Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs’ (ed A Campbell). Environment Australia. Canberra.

Borsboom A, Clarke J and Cunningham M (1999). Draft recovery plan for the Taudactylus pleione 1999–2009. Forest Ecosystem Research and Assessment Technical Papers. Unpublished report. Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Queensland Environmental Protection Agency.

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Clarke, J (2001). Personal communication. Senior Conservation Officer, Conservation Management Branch, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

Clarke JM, Borsboom AC, Cunningham M and Hines H (1999). The recovery process for the Kroombit tinkerfrog, Taudactylus pleione in Rainforest Recovery for the New Millennium. WWF 1998 South East Queensland Rainforest Recovery Conference, Pages 109–123.

Cunningham M and James C (1994). Taudactylus pleione, a report on the conservation status and distribution of the Kroombit Tinkerfrog. Department of Zoology and the Centre for Conservation Biology. University of Queensland. Report to Department of Primary Industries.

Czechura GV (1986a). A new species of Taudactylus (Myobatrachidae) from southeastern Queensland, Australia. In Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 22: 299–307.

Czechura GV (1986b). Kroombit Tops torrent frog Taudactylus pleione, with a key to the species of Taudactylus. Queensland Naturalist 27: 68–71.

Czechura GV (2011). Unpublished submission on the to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In possession of author, Brisbane, Queensland.

Cunningham, M. (1995). Update on the conservation status of the - Taudactylus pleione. Department of Zoology, The University of Queensland, unpublished correspondence to the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage.

Department of the Environment and Energy (2016). Threat abatement plan for infection of amphibians with chytrid fungus resulting in chytridiomycosis , Commonwealth of Australia 2016.

DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) (2009). Unpublished submission on the to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In possession of author, Bellbowrie Queensland.

DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) (2010). Unpublished submission on the to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In possession of author, Atherton Queensland.

DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) (2011a). Unpublished submission on the to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In possession of author, Bellbowrie Queensland.

DERM (Department of Environment and Resource Management) (2011b). Unpublished submission on the to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. In possession of author, Brisbane Queensland.

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EPA (Environment Protection Authority) (2007). Conservation Management Profile for the Kroombit tinkerfrog Taudactylus pleione. Viewed: 22 December 2010. Available on the Internet at: http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p02327aa.pdf

Gentle CB and Duggin JA (1997). Lantana camara L. invasions in dry rainforest – open forest ecotones: The role of disturbances associated with fire and cattle grazing. Australian Journal of Ecology 22: 298–306.

Hines H, Mahony M and McDonald K (1999). An assessment of frog declines in wet subtropical Australia. In ‘Declines and Disappearances of Australian Frogs’ (ed A Campbell).

Hines HB and SEQTFRT (South East Queensland Threatened Frogs Recovery Team) (2002). Recovery plan for stream frogs of south-east Queensland 2001–2005. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.

Longcore JE, Pessier AP and Nichols DK (1999). Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis gen. et sp. nov., a chytrid pathogenic to amphibians. Mycologia 92: 219–227.

Low T (2010). ‘Koombit tinker frog – assaults on a survivor’, Feral Herald, Newsletter of the Invasive Species Council, Issue 25, September 2010.

Meyer, E (2002). Personal Communication. Research Fellow, Vertebrate Ecology, School of Environment, Griffith University.

Meyer E, Hines H and Hero J-M (2001). Wet Forest Frogs of South-east Queensland. Griffith University.

Retallick RWR, McCallum H and Speare R (2004). Endemic infection of the amphibian chytrid fungus in a frog community post-decline. PLoS Biology 2: 1965–1971.

Skerratt LF, Berger L, Speare R, Cashins S, McDonald KR, Phillott AD, Hines HB and Kenyon N (2007). Spread of chytridiomycosis has caused the rapid global decline and extinction of frogs. EcoHealth 4: 125–134.

Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) (2012) Advice to the Minister for Sustainablitly, Environment. Water, Population and Communities from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee on Amendment to the list of Threatened Species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth). Canberra.

Couper PJ (1992). Hope for our missing frogs. Wildlife Australia 29 ,11-12.

Covacevich JA & McDonald KR (1993). Distribution and conservation of frogs and reptiles of Queensland rainforests. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 34 ,189-199.

Jean-Marc Hero, Ross Alford, Keith McDonald, Michael Cunningham, Richard Retallick. 2004. Taudactylus rheophilus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T21534A9299696.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T21534A9299696.en. Downloaded on 20 January 2017.

Liem DS & Hosmer W (1973). Frogs of the genus Taudactylus with descriptions of two new species (Anura: Leptodactylidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 16 ,435-457.

McDonald KR (1990). Rheobatrachus Liem and Taudactylus Straughan & Lee (Anura: Leptodactylidae) in Eungella National Park, Queensland 1990: distribution and decline. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 114 ,187-194.

McNellie M & Hero JM (1994). Mission amphibian. The search for the missing rainforest frogs of Eungella. Wildlife Australia 31 ,22-23.

Northern Queensland Threatened Frogs Recovery Team. 2001. Recovery plan for the stream- dwelling rainforest frogs of the Wet Tropics biogeographic region of north-east Queensland 2000–2004. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane .

Retallick R & Hero J-M (1998). The tadpoles of Taudactylus eungellensis and T. liemi and a key to the stream-dwelling tadpoles of the Eungella rainforests in east-central Queensland, Australia. Journal of Herpetology 32 ,304-309.

Retallick R, Hero J-M & Alford R (1997). Adult population monitoring and larval ecology of the stream-dwelling frogs at Eungella National Park. Australian Nature Conservation Agency Canberra.

Retallick RWR, McCallum H & Speare R (2004). Endemic infection of the amphibian chytrid fungus in a frog community post-decline. PLoS One 2,1965-1971.

Winter J & McDonald KR (1986). Eungella, the land of cloud. Australian Natural History 22 ,39- 43.

Other sources cited in the advice

Northern tinkerfrog – Taudactylus rheophilus, WetlandInfo, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, Queensland, viewed 20 January 2017, .

Murray K.A, Skerratt L, Marantelli G, Berger L, Hunter D, Mahony M and Hines H (2011). Hygiene protocols for the control of diseases in Australian frogs. Available from: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive-species/publications/hygiene- protocols-control-diseases-australian-frogs.

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