Knife-footed Frog (Cyclorana cultripes)

Conservation status

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Rare.

Breeding season

Breeding is poorly documented across Australia. In the Alice Springs area it begins in January when grassland floods, while local rainfall can shift activity; because the species is an EVNT species and Rare in South Australia, plan surveys and controls around wet, low lying habitat.

Breeding mode: Egg laying with aquatic tadpole development is expected for this frog.

Breeding place: Flooded grassland and other low lying areas exposed to wet season flooding.

Breeding trigger: Breeding is associated with grassland flooding.

Breeding start: January in the Alice Springs region.

Clutch size: Not recorded.

Incubation and development period: Not recorded.

Breeding frequency: Not recorded.

Timing can vary between years and regions because breeding is linked to local rainfall and flooding, so repeat checks after substantial rain rather than relying on the calendar alone.

• Breeding after grassland flooding: Breeding begins in January in the Alice Springs region when grassland is flooded.
• Adult activity after rainfall: Frogs may become active after rainfall, so inspect suitable low lying habitat whenever wet conditions occur.
• Eggs and tadpoles: Young stages may be present after January breeding, but their duration and timing are not established.
• Highest clearing risk: For an EVNT species, survey flooded grassland and nearby low lying habitat before January clearing, avoid works during active breeding where practicable, and follow the relevant state approval and species management requirements.

Identification: Appearance and size

The Knife-footed Frog is a terrestrial frog that may be difficult to locate when conditions are dry. Identification is best confirmed from a captured animal, a clear photograph or a verified call recording.

The species has a robust, burrowing-frog form. Its name refers to the sharp, blade-like inner foot structure used for digging. Check this feature carefully when handling an animal.

A reliable size measurement should be taken from the animal rather than estimated in the field. Avoid identifying small or partially concealed frogs from colour alone.

Diagnostic feature: Knife-like inner foot structure associated with digging

Size: Record the measurement of captured animals during formal identification

Identification: Calls and similar species

Calling activity may be concentrated around flooded grassland and other temporary wet areas. Use a current regional frog reference or an experienced amphibian ecologist to confirm calls, particularly where several burrowing frogs occur together.

Do not rely on a single call, colour or habitat feature. Compare the animal's foot structure, body form, markings and call where available.

• Record the time, weather, recent rainfall and exact location of calling frogs.
• Use photographs and an audio recording where handling is not required.

Identification: Field signs

Adults may be found at the edges of flooded grassland, low-lying depressions and temporary pools during suitable wet conditions. The species does not have a distinctive nest, colony or roost sign described for routine site inspections.

Frog presence can be missed during dry weather. Absence of animals during a daytime inspection should not be treated as evidence that the site is unoccupied.

• Search wet depressions, grassland flood paths and shallow temporary water.
• Check beneath suitable cover without damaging soil, vegetation or refuge sites.
• Keep a record of calls, live animals, tadpoles and any fresh burrowing activity.

Distribution: Australian range

The Knife-footed Frog is mapped across several mainland Australian states. Regional records and detection likelihood can vary substantially with rainfall and temporary flooding.

The species is mapped in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. In the Northern Territory, it is recorded from the Alice Springs region, including within 25 km of the Alice Springs CBD.

The Alice Springs regional likelihood is assessed as moderate. Local detection is expected to depend strongly on suitable wet-season conditions.

• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• South Australia
• Western Australia

Distribution: Overseas range and site assessment

The species is an Australian frog. No overseas range is identified for this profile.

For a development site, assess both the work footprint and nearby low-lying areas that may receive runoff or flood during the wet season. Retain the location of records even when frogs are detected outside the immediate clearing area.

• Map all live records and calling locations.
• Record temporary water, flood paths and connected grassland.
• Repeat assessment after suitable rain where the risk of impact is high.

Distribution: Status and approvals

The Knife-footed Frog is profiled as an EVNT species. It has a Rare listing in South Australia under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

The South Australian listing applies to the species in South Australia. No separate subspecies or population is identified for that listing in this profile. In Queensland, near threatened animals are protected wildlife, and interference with a breeding place may require a species management program.

• Check current state and territory legislation before clearing or construction.
• Obtain advice from the relevant environment authority where a breeding place may be affected.
• Use a qualified fauna ecologist for impact assessment and management planning.

Habitat: Vegetation and landform

Look for the Knife-footed Frog in open country that can flood after wet-season rain. Habitat may appear dry and unsuitable for much of the year, then become suitable for movement and breeding after rainfall.

The species is associated with open grassland and sparsely wooded areas. It also uses floodplains beside creeks and other low-lying land exposed to wet-season flooding.

On a works site, inspect depressions, drainage lines, floodplain margins and grassland receiving overland flow.

• Open grassland
• Sparsely wooded areas
• Creek floodplains
• Low-lying wet-season flood areas

Habitat: Features to map

Map temporary drainage paths and shallow depressions, including areas that are dry during the initial inspection. Note connections between work areas, floodplains and nearby creek lines.

Avoid assuming that a constructed drain is equivalent to natural habitat. Its suitability should be assessed from observed water persistence, vegetation, substrate and frog use.

• Flood-prone depressions
• Seasonal flow paths
• Grassland beside creeks
• Temporary pools after rain

Habitat: Site inspection approach

Plan inspections around recent rainfall where practicable. Walk quietly through suitable habitat and inspect the edges of wet areas, while avoiding unnecessary trampling of grassland and soft ground.

Where the species is a possibility but conditions are dry, retain habitat records and consider follow-up survey during suitable wet conditions.

• Use a site map with wet areas and flood paths marked.
• Photograph representative habitat and any impact area.
• Keep machinery and spoil out of low-lying wetland areas until the risk has been assessed.

Foraging habitat: Likely foraging areas

The specific diet and foraging method of the Knife-footed Frog are not established in this profile. As a terrestrial amphibian, it should be managed as an insect-eating frog that may forage around moist ground and temporary water after rain.

Inspect moist grassland, floodplain edges, sparsely wooded ground and the margins of temporary pools. These areas can support invertebrate prey and provide cover during wet conditions.

Foraging locations may change quickly as water levels, soil moisture and ground cover change.

• Vegetated edges of temporary pools
• Moist grassland after rain
• Floodplain margins
• Sparsely wooded ground near wet areas

Foraging habitat: Survey guidance

Search during suitable wet conditions and include the margins of flooded grassland. Night work may improve detection of active frogs, but timing and methods should be set by an experienced amphibian ecologist for the region.

Minimise disturbance to soft ground and vegetation. Disinfect footwear, nets and other equipment between sites to reduce the spread of amphibian disease.

• Use clean, disinfected equipment at every site.
• Limit handling to what is needed for identification and processing.
• Release animals at the point of capture unless an approved relocation method applies.

Foraging habitat: Works controls

Keep sediment, concrete washout, fuels and other pollutants away from low-lying habitat and temporary water. Prevent runoff from carrying fine sediment into floodplain depressions or creek margins.

Where clearing is necessary, use a staged approach and have a fauna spotter catcher inspect suitable habitat during works, particularly after rain.

• Maintain clean water management around the work area.
• Avoid driving through flooded grassland or temporary pools.
• Stop and seek advice if frogs, tadpoles or an active breeding area are found.

Breeding habitat: Breeding places

Breeding occurs when grassland is flooded, and breeding begins in January in the Alice Springs region. Temporary flooding can create breeding habitat that is absent or difficult to recognise during dry periods.

Look for flooded grassland, shallow inundated depressions and other low-lying areas that hold water after wet-season rain. Floodplain areas beside creeks may also require assessment where water can spread into grassland.

The precise breeding-place features, clutch size and development periods are not established in this profile. Treat flooded grassland as potential breeding habitat when frogs are calling or present.

• Flooded grassland
• Shallow wet-season depressions
• Low-lying floodplain areas
• Temporary water connected to creek flood paths

Breeding habitat: Timing and survey

Breeding begins in January in the Alice Springs region. Local timing may vary with rainfall and flooding, so avoid relying on the calendar alone.

Survey after suitable rain and include evening or night listening where conditions allow. Record calling frogs, adults, eggs, tadpoles and the extent of inundation.

Recorded breeding onset: January in the Alice Springs region

• Plan follow-up survey when grassland has flooded.
• Record rainfall and water conditions at each visit.
• Treat calling activity as a trigger for immediate impact review.

Breeding habitat: Protection during works

Do not clear, fill, drain or drive through flooded grassland until the breeding-place risk has been assessed. Establish practical exclusion areas around occupied wet areas and keep sediment and contaminated water out of them.

In Queensland, tampering with a breeding place for protected wildlife may require a species management program. Confirm requirements with the relevant authority before works begin.

• Brief all plant operators and fauna spotter catchers on the breeding areas.
• Use temporary fencing and clear exclusion signage where required.
• Suspend works if breeding activity is discovered in the impact area.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features to retain

The Knife-footed Frog is associated with terrestrial environments and may shelter in dry ground, grassland and sparsely wooded areas between wet periods. Specific shelter sites and burrowing depths are not established in this profile.

Retain intact grass cover, natural soil surfaces and low-lying areas near seasonal water. Avoid removing all ground cover or compacting soil across flood-prone habitat.

Inspect soft soil, grass tussocks, debris and other cover where frogs may remain concealed. Replace cover carefully after inspection.

• Intact grassland
• Natural soil and soft ground
• Grass tussocks and surface cover
• Sparsely wooded ground near flood areas

Sheltering habitat: Dry-period risk

Frogs may be difficult to detect when conditions are dry. Clearing, grading, excavation and soil compaction can remove shelter or injure concealed animals even when no frogs are seen.

Use a staged clearing method where the risk is elevated. Start with a pre-clearance inspection, retain habitat where practicable and have a fauna spotter catcher present during high-risk ground disturbance.

• Inspect before grubbing, grading and trenching.
• Avoid unnecessary stockpiling on grassland or flood-prone ground.
• Check excavations and trenches for trapped fauna at least daily while open.

Sheltering habitat: Handling and hygiene

Handle frogs only when necessary and follow approved amphibian hygiene procedures. Keep handling time short and avoid transferring soil, water or disease between sites.

If an animal is found during works, stop the immediate activity, protect the animal from plant and heat, and obtain advice on safe release or relocation.

• Use clean gloves or change gloves between animals.
• Disinfect equipment between sites.
• Record the animal's location, condition and release point.

Threats: Clearing and earthworks

Development can affect this species even when impacts are limited to temporary water or floodplain edges. The main risks are loss of habitat, disturbance of breeding places, altered water movement and pollution.

Removing open grassland, sparsely wooded habitat or low-lying floodplain areas can reduce shelter, movement and breeding opportunities. Excavation, grading and compaction can also harm concealed frogs and alter natural drainage.

Keep the work footprint as small as practicable and mark no-go areas before clearing begins.

• Avoid clearing flooded grassland and temporary wet areas.
• Retain natural ground cover and floodplain connections.
• Use staged clearing with fauna checks in higher-risk areas.

Threats: Water movement and drainage

Roads, pads, drains and fill can divert, concentrate or block water. These changes may remove flooding from grassland or create flows that scour habitat and carry sediment into breeding areas.

Design site drainage to maintain natural flow patterns where practicable. Inspect controls after rain and repair failures promptly.

• Protect temporary pools and flood paths from fill and spoil.
• Prevent dewatering from drying occupied breeding habitat.
• Keep sediment controls functional during wet-weather works.

Threats: Pollution and disease

Sediment, hydrocarbons, concrete washout, chemicals and contaminated runoff can harm frogs, tadpoles and their food resources. Poor hygiene between sites can spread amphibian pathogens.

Use a site hygiene procedure, clean equipment between water bodies and keep pollutants away from wet areas.

• Exclude fuels and chemicals from drainage lines and floodplains.
• Contain concrete washout away from natural water.
• Disinfect amphibian survey and handling equipment.

Threats: Status-led management

The EVNT profile and the Rare listing in South Australia warrant a precautionary approach. Survey effort should be increased where suitable habitat is present, recent rain has occurred, or works may affect a breeding place.

In Queensland, confirm whether proposed works could tamper with a breeding place and whether a species management program is required. In all jurisdictions, document decisions, records, controls and any advice from the relevant authority.

• Use a qualified ecologist to assess likely habitat and survey needs.
• Escalate live records, calling activity, tadpoles or breeding habitat to the project environmental manager.
• Do not rely on a failed dry-weather search to clear a site of risk.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

The Knife-footed Frog is a poorly known arid-zone amphibian. Surveys should focus on low-lying grassland, sparsely wooded areas and floodplains that may hold water after wet-season rain, with extra attention from January when breeding may begin.

Map open grassland, sparsely wooded areas, creek floodplains and other ground that can flood during the wet season.

Review drainage lines, depressions, temporary pools and proposed changes to surface water flow.

Check the project location against state and territory listings. Apply a conservative approach in South Australia, where the species is listed as Rare, and Western Australia, where it is listed as Priority 4.

Survey methodology: 2. Nocturnal and post-rain searches

Search at night during or soon after suitable wet-season rain, when frogs are more likely to call, move and breed.

Listen for calling frogs around flooded grassland, temporary pools, creek margins and other inundated low points. Conduct slow visual searches with torches along wet margins and through shallow water.

Repeat surveys under suitable wet conditions where the first visit produces no detection. Record the weather, recent rainfall, water presence, survey start and finish times, personnel and area covered.

Survey methodology: 3. Day searches and targeted checks

Inspect moist shelter areas and the edges of temporary water bodies during the day. Avoid disturbing habitat unnecessarily.

Use call playback only where approved and where it will not interfere with breeding or other fauna surveys. Clean and disinfect footwear, nets and other equipment between sites to reduce disease spread.

Consider a qualified aquatic fauna survey or environmental DNA method where access is difficult or the consequences of a missed detection are high.

Survey methodology: 4. Records and evidence

Record every frog, call, tadpole, egg mass and breeding observation with a location, date, time, weather conditions and habitat description.

Photograph animals and breeding habitat where this can be done without handling or disturbance. Record whether water is temporary or persistent and whether the site is connected to a drainage line or floodplain.

Map the proposed disturbance footprint, detected animals, breeding places, shelter areas and any areas recommended for retention.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Approvals and permits

Plan works to avoid wet grassland, temporary pools and floodplain habitat wherever practicable. The Knife-footed Frog is an EVNT species, so obtain project-specific approvals and use a qualified ecologist where habitat or breeding places may be affected.

Check whether the action requires an EPBC Act referral or approval before clearing or construction starts.

In Queensland, obtain advice from the relevant department where works may tamper with a breeding place. A species management program may be required for protected wildlife.

Check state and territory wildlife, clearing and planning requirements in every jurisdiction where the project occurs. Obtain any fauna survey, handling, salvage or relocation authorisations before work begins.

Apply the relevant listing controls in South Australia and Western Australia. Confirm the current status and any site-specific conditions with the relevant authority.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Pre-clearance survey and timing

Complete a pre-clearance survey shortly before disturbance, using nocturnal and post-rain methods where conditions allow.

Avoid starting works in flooded grassland and around active breeding habitat. January is a known breeding start period in the Alice Springs region, and breeding may also follow wet-season flooding.

If timing cannot avoid wet conditions, increase supervision and use staged clearing with a fauna spotter catcher.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Avoidance and exclusion

Redesign the footprint to retain temporary pools, drainage depressions, creek floodplains and vegetated wet margins.

Use clearly marked exclusion zones around retained habitat, breeding places and movement routes. Set the extent with the project ecologist and approval conditions rather than applying an assumed generic distance.

Prevent sediment, fuel, concrete washout, rubbish and altered drainage from entering retained or downstream wet areas.

Keep stockpiles, compounds, access tracks and lighting away from low-lying habitat wherever practicable.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Crew induction and readiness

Brief all workers on the species identification features, likely habitats, stop-work requirements and hygiene procedures.

Give the fauna spotter catcher authority to stop work when a frog, tadpole, egg mass, active breeding place or unexpected wet habitat is found.

Confirm who will assess animals, who may handle them, the nearest wildlife carer or veterinarian, and the reporting chain before clearing starts.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Use a slow, staged approach and keep wet habitat under active supervision. Stop work whenever an animal or breeding place is found outside the approved method or exclusion area.

Clear habitat in small, manageable stages towards retained habitat, while maintaining a clear escape route for animals.

Inspect wet depressions, grass tussocks, debris and other potential shelter before disturbance. Use hand searches only where authorised and safe.

Keep machinery out of retained pools, floodplain depressions and exclusion zones. Do not drain or fill breeding habitat unless this is specifically approved.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Handling and relocation

Allow uninjured frogs to move away from disturbance where possible.

Handle a frog only when necessary, and only by an appropriately authorised person using clean, damp, powder-free gloves or another approved method.

Place a captured animal in a secure, ventilated container that is cool, shaded and free from chemicals. Do not keep animals in direct sun or standing water.

Relocate an animal only under the approved fauna management procedure, to suitable nearby habitat selected by the project ecologist or authority.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Active breeding places and unexpected finds

Stop work and establish an exclusion zone if eggs, tadpoles, calling adults in a breeding aggregation or an active breeding place is found.

Do not disturb, remove or destroy the breeding place until the ecologist and relevant authority have confirmed the required response.

Record the location, water condition, evidence of breeding, photographs and the work activity that was occurring. Update the site map and method statement before work resumes.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Injured or dead animals

Stop nearby work and keep people, vehicles and machinery away from an injured frog.

Have the animal assessed by an authorised wildlife handler, veterinarian or wildlife carer. Follow the approved wildlife rescue and disease-control pathway.

Do not release an injured animal or move a dead animal without recording its location and obtaining advice. Report deaths or incidents as required by approval conditions.

During habitat disturbance: 5. Daily records

Record daily search effort, weather, rainfall where known, areas cleared, animals detected, animals handled, breeding places, relocations, injuries and mortalities.

Record the names and authorisations of personnel involved in fauna handling and the destination of any relocated or rescued animal.

Provide incident records to the project manager, ecologist and relevant authority within the time required by the approval or management plan.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance inspection

Finish each work area with a deliberate fauna and habitat check. Use the results to confirm that controls worked and to improve the next stage of the project.

Inspect the completed work area and retained habitat for trapped, injured or displaced frogs, especially after rain or where water has collected.

Check excavations, trenches, pits, pipes and drains before they are backfilled or covered. Provide escape measures where required by the approved fauna management plan.

Remove temporary barriers only after the ecologist confirms that the work area is safe and no further fauna control is required.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Relocated animals

Record the release location, date, time, habitat condition and condition of every relocated frog.

Check release areas for suitable shelter, moisture and access to temporary water. Do not release frogs into unsuitable dry ground, contaminated water or active work areas.

Follow up rescued or rehabilitated animals through the authorised carer or veterinarian. Do not collect additional animals for monitoring unless approval allows it.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Monitoring and reporting

Monitor retained wet areas and restored drainage features after suitable rain, particularly where works changed runoff or flood patterns.

Use repeat night listening and visual searches to check whether frogs continue to use retained habitat. Record both detections and the conditions during unsuccessful surveys.

Prepare a completion report covering survey effort, controls, incidents, breeding places, mortalities, relocations, rehabilitation actions and any outstanding risks.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review

Review every handling event, injury, mortality, breeding-place discovery and water-quality incident with the site supervisor and ecologist.

Identify whether the cause was timing, inadequate exclusion, poor induction, machinery access, lighting, drainage or another controllable factor.

Amend the work method, induction and monitoring plan before the next stage. Notify the relevant authority where required.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat and drainage

Rehabilitation should restore the wet-season functions of the site rather than simply replanting disturbed ground. Aim to retain shallow, temporary water and connected grassland while avoiding structures that do not suit this frog.

Reinstate natural contours, shallow depressions and floodplain connections where practicable.

Use local native grasses and other locally appropriate plants suited to open grassland and sparsely wooded habitat.

Prevent erosion and sediment movement into retained pools and creek systems. Replace compacted soil with suitable topsoil and surface treatments where approved.

Do not create permanent ponds unless they are part of an approved ecological design. Maintain the temporary wetting and drying pattern expected at the site.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Breeding habitat

Protect shallow inundation areas that form after wet-season rain. Keep vehicle access, stockpiles and ongoing maintenance away from these areas.

Where a breeding place has been removed under approval, obtain advice from the project ecologist and relevant authority on whether replacement wet habitat is required.

Design any replacement breeding area to match local hydrology, vegetation and water quality. Do not assume that a generic dam, pond or artificial wetland will support this species.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Artificial structures and shelter

Do not install nest boxes, bat boxes, artificial nest sites or roost structures for the Knife-footed Frog. These structures are not a recognised substitute for its flooded grassland habitat.

Retain natural ground cover, tussocks, leaf litter and suitable moist shelter where they occur, while managing fire, weeds and access in accordance with the site plan.

Use temporary shelter or exclusion materials only where recommended by a qualified ecologist and approved for the project.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Weeds, water and lighting

Control weeds without contaminating pools, drainage lines or floodplain soils. Use methods suitable for amphibian habitat and follow label and approval requirements.

Keep sediment, hydrocarbons, concrete washout and other pollutants out of water bodies. Inspect drainage controls after rain and repair them promptly.

Use the lowest practical level of night lighting. Direct lights away from retained wet areas and avoid unnecessary illumination during wet-season breeding activity.

Rehabilitation actions: 5. Long-term monitoring

Monitor restored and retained habitat after wet-season rainfall, using night listening and visual searches suited to local conditions.

Track water persistence, vegetation recovery, weed cover, erosion, lighting and any frog or breeding detections.

Set review points in the rehabilitation plan and adapt maintenance when monitoring shows that drainage, vegetation or disturbance is preventing habitat recovery.

Sources

• Alice Springs Fauna List ● Taxonomy Updated July 2018, wildlife.lowecol.com.au: https://wildlife.lowecol.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/FaunaList.pdf
• Occurrence records for the distribution map, Atlas of Living Australia: https://biocache.ala.org.au/