On the ant trail: "blitz-feeding" by the Ornate Burrowing Frog Platyplectrum ornatum (Gray, 1842)

Little is known about the behaviour of many of Australia’s amphibians. In this paper, I report a series of incidental observations documenting “blitz-feeding” on ants and other arthropods by Ornate Burrowing Frogs ( Platyplectrum ornatum ) in the Pilliga forests and Bundarra, northern New South Wales, Australia. During these observations, frogs appeared to be strategically positioned on ant trails, crossing paths with 5–15 ants per minute. Frogs appeared to use their bodies to direct incoming ants towards their head. Blitz attacks were rapid, involving a volatile downward burst of the tongue. Similar behaviour has been confirmed in some Australian insectivorous lizards.