The Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea has undergone a dramatic population decline in New South Wales. During this time the species' status in this state has changed from being common in the 1960s to endangered in 1992. To assess the present population numbers and environmental pressures, 31 sites within the Greater Sydney region and 61 sites from regional areas of New South Wales were surveyed. The sites consisted of previously known but no longer used localities prior to 1990, as well as more recently discovered localities. Since 1990, only 38 localities have been recorded for Green and Golden Bell Frogs, 19 of these are in the Greater Sydney region. Since the 1960s Green and Golden Bell Frogs have disappeared completely from all highland areas above 250 m a.s.l. Coastal populations have been reduced in number and are more isolated from other extant populations. Many of the extant sites are new sites (post 1990) for this species and occur in highly disturbed environments. The ecological niche of this species is discussed in the light of new observations on these frogs. The introduction of Mosquito Fish Gambusia holbrooki may be one of the factors limiting the recovery of Green and Golden Bell Frog populations in New South Wales.

Barker, J. and Grigg, G. C., 1977. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Rigby Books: Adelaide.
A Field Guide to Australian Frogs
Clyne, D., 1969. Australian Frogs. Periwinkle Books: Melbourne.
Australian Frogs
Copland, S., 1957. Australian tree frogs of the genus Hyla. Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales 83: 9-108.
Australian tree frogs of the genus Hyla
Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales
, vol. 
83
 (pg. 
9
-
108
)
Courtice, G. P. and Grigg, G. G., 1975. A taxonomic revision of the Litoria aurea complex (Anura: Hylidae) in southeastern Australia. Aust. Zool. 18: 149-63.
A taxonomic revision of the Litoria aurea complex (Anura: Hylidae) in southeastern Australia
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
18
 (pg. 
149
-
63
)
Daly, G., 1995. Reptiles and Amphibians of Jervis Bay. Unpublished report to Aust. Nat. Conserv. Agency.
Fleay, D., 1952. Hunting wildlife with a camera. Pp. 15-20 in Australian Fishing and Hunting Guide for 1952. K. Windser Pub.: Melbourne.
Australian Fishing and Hunting Guide for 1952
(pg. 
15
-
20
)
Gillespie, G., 1996. Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea (Lesson 1829) (Anura: Hylidae) in Victoria. Aust. Zool. 30(2): 199-207.
Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea (Lesson 1829) (Anura: Hylidae) in Victoria
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
30
 (pg. 
199
-
207
)
Greer, A., 1994. Faunal Impact Statement for proposed development works at the Homebush Bay Brick Pit. Unpublished report for Property Services Group.
Harrison, L., 1922. On the breeding habits of some Australian frogs. Aust. Zool. 3: 302-05.
On the breeding habits of some Australian frogs
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
3
 (pg. 
302
-
05
)
Hero, J-M. and Littlejohn, M. J., 1991. Frogwatch. A Field Guide to the Frogs of Victoria. University of Melbourne.
Frogwatch. A Field Guide to the Frogs of Victoria
Keferstein, W., 1867. Ueber einige neue ode seltene Batrachier aus Australien and dem tropischen Amerika. Nachr. Ges. Wiss. Gottingen 1867: 341-61.
Ueber einige neue ode seltene Batrachier aus Australien and dem tropischen Amerika
Nachr. Ges. Wiss. Gottingen
, vol. 
1867
 (pg. 
341
-
61
)
Lesson, R. P., 1829. Description de quelques reptiles nouveax on pen connus. In Voyage autour du monde execute par ordre du Roi, sur la corvette de Sa Majeste, La Coquille ed by L. I. Duperrey.
Lloyd, L., 1989. Ecological interactions of Gambusia holbrooki with Australian native fishes. Pp. 94-97 in Introduced and Translocated Fishes and their Ecological effects ed by D. A. Pollard. Aust. Govt. Publ. Service: Canberra.
Introduced and Translocated Fishes and their Ecological effects
(pg. 
94
-
97
)
McAuley, S., 1995. Ringing the Bells. Zoo Friends News, June 1995.
Ringing the Bells
Zoo Friends News
Merrick, J. R. and Schmida, G. E., 1984. Australian Freshwater Fishes: Biology and Management. Griffin Press: Netley.
Australian Freshwater Fishes: Biology and Management
Moore, J., 1961. The frogs of eastern New South Wales. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 121: 149-386.
The frogs of eastern New South Wales
Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.
, vol. 
121
 (pg. 
149
-
386
)
Morgan, L., 1995. An analysis of the impact of predation by Gambusia holbrooki on Litoria aurea tadpoles. B. Envir. Sci. (Hons.) Thesis. University of Wollongong.
Murphy, M., 1995. A capture/recapture study of the endangered 1-tylid frog Litoria aurea. Herpetofauna 25(1): 19-21.
A capture/recapture study of the endangered 1-tylid frog Litoria aurea
Herpetofauna
, vol. 
25
 (pg. 
19
-
21
)
Myers, G. S., 1965. Gambusia, the fish destroyer. Aust. Zool. 13: 102.
Gambusia, the fish destroyer
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
13
 pg. 
102
 
Osborne, W. S., 1986. Frogs of the Canberra region. Bogong 7: 10-12.
Frogs of the Canberra region
Bogong
, vol. 
7
 (pg. 
10
-
12
)
Osborne, W. S., Littlejohn, M.J. and Thomson, S. A., 1996. Former distribution and apparent disappearance of the Litoria aurea complex from the Sourthern Tablelands of New South Wales and the Austtralian Capital Territory. Aust. Zool. 30(2): 190-98.
Former distribution and apparent disappearance of the Litoria aurea complex from the Sourthern Tablelands of New South Wales and the Austtralian Capital Territory
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
30
 (pg. 
190
-
98
)
Pyke, G. H., 1995. Fauna impact Statement for Proposed development works at the Homebush Bay Development Area, excluding the Brickpit. Unpublished report for the Olympic Co-ordination Agency.
Pyke, G. H. and White, A. W., 1996. Habitat requirements for the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae). Aust. Zool. 30(2): 224-32.
Habitat requirements for the Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea (Anura: Hylidae)
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
30
 (pg. 
224
-
32
)
Robb, J., 1986. New Zealand Amphibians and Reptiles. Collins: Auckland.
New Zealand Amphibians and Reptiles
Robinson, M., 1993. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia, from Port Augusta to Fraser Island including Tasmania. Australian Museum/Reed Pub: Chatswood, New South Wales.
A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia, from Port Augusta to Fraser Island including Tasmania
Specht, R. L., 1970. Vegetation. Chapter 5 in The Australian Environment, 4th ed. (revised) ed by G. W. Leeper. CSIRO/Melbourne Uni. Press: Melbourne.
The Australian Environment
Steindachner, F., 1867. Amphibien. In Reise der osterreichischen Fregatte Novara um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859. Zoologie 1: 1-70.
Thompson, M. J., Robinson, W. A. and Osborne, W. S., 1996. Taxonomy of the Litoria aurea complex: a reevaluation of the Southern Tablelands populations of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales. Aust. Zool. 30(2): 158-69.
Taxonomy of the Litoria aurea complex: a reevaluation of the Southern Tablelands populations of the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales
Aust. Zool.
, vol. 
30
 (pg. 
158
-
69
)
Tyler, M. J., 1992 Encyclopedia of Australian Animals: Frogs. Angus and Robertson: Pymble, New South Wales.
Encyclopedia of Australian Animals: Frogs
Webb, C., 1994. Does predation by Gambusia holbrooki (Atheriniformes: Poeciliidae) contribute to declining frog populations, Honours Thesis. School of Biological Sciences. Macquarie University.
White, A. W., 1993. Faunal Impact Statement. Proposed redevelopment of Telecom Site, Roberts Road, Greenacre. Unpublished Report for the Walkers Croup.
White, A. W., 1995a. The Green and Golden Bell Frog. Frog Facts 5: 1-4.
The Green and Golden Bell Frog
Frog Facts
, vol. 
5
 (pg. 
1
-
4
)
White, A. W., 1995b. Frog Survey of the Coopernook, Marsh and Taree Management Areas. State Forests of New South Wales.
This content is only available as a PDF.