Southern brown tree frog

Southern brown tree frog
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Litoria
Species: L. ewingii
Binomial name
Litoria ewingii
Duméril & Bibron, 1841
Native distribution of the southern brown tree frog
Tadpole
In eastern Victoria

The southern brown tree frog, brown tree frog, whistling tree frog, or Ewing's tree frog (Litoria ewingii)[2] is a species of tree frog native to Australia: most of southern Victoria, eastern South Australia, southern New South Wales from about Ulladulla—although this species is reported to occur further north—and throughout Tasmania including the Bass Strait Islands, in which state it is the most frequently encountered frog. It has been introduced to New Zealand, where it can be locally abundant.

Taxonomy

The southern brown tree frog was described in 1841 by French naturalists André Duméril and Gabriel Bibron.

Description

This species reaches 45 millimetres (1.8 in) in length. It is pale to dark brown on the dorsal surface, with a broad darker patch starting at the eyes and covering the majority of the back, although pure green and green striped colour morphs are also common. A dark band starting at the nostril runs across the eye and tympanum to the shoulder, and a pale white stripe below this runs from the mouth to the arm. The backs of the thighs are orange, and no black marbling is present (except specimens from the Adelaide region), distinguishing this species from the similar whistling tree frog, (Litoria verreauxii). Some specimens from western Victoria and south eastern South Australia can be partially or entirely green. The belly is cream.

Ecology and behavior

This species is found in a wide range of habitats, including forests, farmland, heathland, semiarid areas, alpine regions, and suburban areas. They are particularly common in parts of suburban Adelaide, Melbourne, and Hobart, where they are often observed upon window panes at night, attracted by flying insects. Males make a whistling weep-weep-weep call from beside or floating in the water of, dam impoundments, ditches, ponds, and stream-side pools. Males call all year round, particularly after rain. Eggs are easily identifiable, being wound around submerged grass stems, aquatic vegetation, and sticks. These frogs can freeze and survive.[3]

As a pet

In Australia, this animal may be kept without any wildlife license when purchased from a breeder. Litoria ewingi does not require any UV supplementation, it simply requires a light cycle and a small water source as it is an arboreal species.

Citations

  1. ↑ Hero, J.-M.; Bell, B.; Lemckert, F.; Robertson, P.; Brown, P. (2004). "Litoria ewingii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2015-05-02.
  2. ↑ "Frogs of Australia: Litoria ewingi". Amphibian Research Centre.
  3. ↑ Kalinka M. J. Rexer-Huber, Phillip J. Bishop and David A. Wharton; (2011) Skin ice nucleators and glycerol in the freezing-tolerant frog Litoria ewingii. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 4 March 2011

References

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