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Southern gastric brooding frog
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Southern gastric brooding frog

extinct amphibian
Also known as: Rheobatrachus silus
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Quick Summary

The Southern gastric brooding frog, Rheobatrachus silus, was a unique amphibian species native to Queensland, Australia. Unlike most frogs, the female would swallow her fertilized eggs, and the tadpoles would develop within her stomach. This unusual form of parental care, known as gastric brooding, allowed the young to develop directly into froglets without a free-swimming larval stage.12

This species is now extinct, with the last confirmed sightings occurring in the early 1980s. The exact reasons for its extinction are not fully understood but are believed to be related to habitat loss and the chytrid fungus, a devastating pathogen affecting amphibians worldwide.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. frog and toad - Egg laying on land
  2. frog and toad - Direct development from egg to froglet

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