Retreat Site Selection during Winter in the Green and Golden Bell Frog, Litoria aurea Lesson

Amphibians use a range of microhabitats as retreat sites to escape adverse climatic conditions. We conducted two outdoor experiments using a brick pile and shallow trays of water containing aquatic vegetation to assess retreat site selection during winter in the endangered frog Litoria aurea. A multivariate habitat model in the first experiment indicated that frogs preferred to rest close to the edges of the brick pile that received afternoon sunlight and in small gaps between bricks, whereas in the second experiment, frogs showed no preference for terrestrial or aquatic habitats. These results suggest that L. aurea is a generalist in winter habitat choice, although resting positions in terrestrial situations are likely related to site aspect, microhabitat, and temperature.