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Cane Toad (remains)
Rhinella marina
-27.5404, 153.064
Field Notes
Description:
The skeletal remains of Rhinella marina, the ubiquitous cane toad. It was only by chance that I spotted this amongst the dirt and leaf litter on the banks of a freshwater pond. I initially thought this was the neck and skull of a Brisbane short-necked turtle, but alas, that was not to be. I've looked at a few rough images of cane toad anatomy and am confident this is the correct ID. Luckily, some of the skin was also present, so I could see the poison gland pores at the base of the skull and shoulder area. The skin covering these glands is distinctively and quite obvious. Here's a previous spotting for comparison - https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/1406042630 Note the massive poison glands and skin texture above the shoulder area of this toad. This feature alone tells me these are the remains of a cane toad and not any other amphibian.
Habitat:
This pond was situated in remnant eucalyptus woodland on the campus of Griffith University, Mt. Gravatt, which is adjacent to the Mt. Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Cane toads are everywhere in southeast Queensland, and freshwater ponds like this provide the perfect habitat.
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