Graceful Tree Frog

Description

A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to 4.5 cm in body length. It has a lime-green or olive-green back. The sides are bright yellow. There is a pale green or yellow stripe from the nostril to past the eye, following the top half of the eye. The belly is bright yellow. The pupil is horizontal, and the iris is orange. The backs of the thighs are purple or reddish-brown, and the hands and feet are bright yellow. Fingers are three-quarters webbed and toes are fully webbed, both with large discs. These frogs are known to end up in fruit markets outside of their natural distribution after resting undetected on transported banana bunches.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as clusters near the surface of the water in temporary swamps, flooded grasslands, and ponds. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to 4.5 cm, and are brown in colour. They often remain at the bottom of water bodies, and take at least two months to develop into frogs. Breeds during spring to summer after heavy rain.

Similar Species

Looks similar to Litoria chloris and Litoria xanthomera in its distribution, but has a pale green or yellow stripe from the nostril over the eye, and an orange iris instead of red as present in Litoria chloris.

Distribution

Found along the coast from near Cooktown in QLD, south to Gosford in NSW.