Tree frog

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Tree frogs
Red-eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis callidryas
Red-eyed Tree Frog, Agalychnis callidryas
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Rafinesque, 1815
Distribution of Hylidae and Rhacophoridae (in black)
Distribution of Hylidae and Rhacophoridae (in black)
Genera

See text.

Tree frogs are frogs of the families Hylidae and Rhacophoridae. There is large variation among tree frog species. Many species are not actually arboreal (do not live in trees), but terrestrial or aquatic (live on the ground or in the water). Many arboreal frogs are green, while terrestrial and aquatic species are duller. They mostly feed on insects, but some larger species can feed on small vertebrates. The species within the genus Cyclorana are burrowing frogs, sometimes spending many years underground.

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[edit] Types

The European tree frogs such as Hyla arborea are common in the middle and south of North America, and range into Asia and North Africa. The species become very noisy on the approach of rain and are sometimes kept in confinement as a kind of barometer.

In North America there are many species of tree frog, including Hyla versicolor, a species of grey tree frog, and Hyla cinerea, the American green tree frog. The spring peeper is also widespread in the eastern United States and is commonly heard on summer and spring evenings.

The tree frog is a popular name for several of the Hylidae. Hyla versicolor is the changeable tree toad, Trachycephalus lichenatus is the lichened tree toad, and T. marmoratus the marbled tree toad.

Old World treefrogs are found in India, Sri Lanka, China, SE Asia, Indonesia, Japan, the East Indies, and Madagascar; only the genus Chiromantis is found on continental Africa. Most members of this family are arboreal and in many of these the eggs are laid in arboreal foam nests, with newly hatched tadpoles falling into water below to complete development.

Hyla versicolor, the grey treefrog
Hyla versicolor, the grey treefrog
Stoney Creek Frog Litoria wilcoxi
Stoney Creek Frog Litoria wilcoxi
Japanese Tree Frog Hyla japonica
Japanese Tree Frog Hyla japonica
Cuban Tree Frog Osteopilus septentrionalis
Cuban Tree Frog Osteopilus septentrionalis
Waxy Tree Frog Phyllomedusa sauvagii
Waxy Tree Frog Phyllomedusa sauvagii

[edit] Classification

The family of the tree frogs is subdivided in 6 subfamilies and 47-49 genera.

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[edit] References

  • This article incorporates text from the Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921).

    [edit] External links



    Chordata - Amphibia - Families of Anura White-lipped Tree Frog

    Allophrynidae - Amphignathodontidae - Arthroleptidae - Ascaphidae - Bombinatoridae - Brachycephalidae - Bufonidae - Centrolenidae - Dendrobatidae - Discoglossidae - Heleophrynidae - Hemisotidae - Hylidae - Hyperoliidae - Leiopelmatidae - Leptodactylidae - Mantellidae - Megophryidae - Microhylidae - Myobatrachidae - Nasikabatrachidae - Pelobatidae - Pelodytidae - Pipidae - Ranidae - Rhacophoridae - Rhinodermatidae - Rhinophrynidae - Scaphiopodidae - Sooglossidae