Biology: 5 Frogs

1. Australian Green Tree Frog

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Australian Green Tree Frog on branch.

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Also called the White's Tree Frog and the Dumpy Tree Frog the Australian Green Tree Frog is the species Litoria caerulea of the family Hylidae. It is native to Australia and New Guinea and was introduced to New Zealand and the United States. They are called White's Tree Frogs in honour of John White who first made a discrption of them in 1790.

The species was originally called the "blue frog" (Rana caerulea) despite its green colour. The original specimens White sent to England were damaged by the preservative and appeared blue.

The adult frogs can grow to 4-5 inches in length. Females are usually longer than males, but it is very difficult to determine sex, even when the frog is a bit older. The frogs are calm by nature and not very active. They are nocturnal and come out in early evenings to call (in spring and summer) and hunt at night. During the day they find cool, dark, and moist areas to sleep. During winter, Green Tree Frogs do not call and are not usually seen.

Depending on their location, Green Tree Frogs occupy various habitats. Typically, they are found in the canopy of trees near a still-water source. However, they can survive in swamps (among the reeds) or in grasslands in cooler climates. Green Tree Frogs are well known for inhabiting water sources inside houses, such as sinks or toilets. They can also be found on windows eating insects. They will occupy tanks (cisterns), downpipes (downspouts), and gutters, as these have a high humidity and are usually cooler than the external environment. The frogs are drawn to downpipes and tanks during mating season, as the fixtures amplify their call.

The species has an average life expectancy in captivity of sixteen years, but some have been known to live for over twenty years, which is long for a frog. The average life expectancy in the wild is lower than in captivity, due to predation.

Sources:
whitestreefrog.net
Wikipedia