Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) Click to enlarge image
A large species of frog reaching up to 11 cm in body length. It has a green back, sometimes with several small white spots. The belly is white. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. Fingers and toes are three-quarters webbed, both with large discs. Inland NSW individuals can have a blue-green back, and some northern populations have yellow on the fingers, toes, webbing, and undersurfaces of the arms and legs. Image: Bradshaw
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • IUCN Conservation Status
    LEAST CONCERN (LC)
  • Classification
    Genus
    Litoria
    Species
    caerulea
    Family
    Hylidae
    Order
    Anura
    Subclass
    Lissamphibia
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    12 cm
Green Tree Frog, Litoria caerulea
Green Tree Frog 2.8 Image: G A Hoye
© Australian Museum

Description

A large species of frog reaching up to 11 cm in body length. It has a green back, sometimes with several small white spots. The belly is white. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. Fingers and toes are three-quarters webbed, both with large discs. Inland NSW individuals can have a blue-green back, and some northern populations have yellow on the fingers, toes, webbing, and undersurfaces of the arms and legs.


Green Tree Frog

Green Tree Frog, Litoria caerulea, in water

Image: Stuart Humphreys
© Australian Museum

Similar Species

Looks similar to Litoria cavernicola, Litoria chloris, and Litoria splendida in its distribution. Litoria cavernicola lacks a skin fold over the side of the head; Litoria chloris has a red iris instead of gold; and Litoria splendida has big glands over the entire head and above the shoulders, as well as having white or yellow spots.

Distribution

Found in northern WA, northern NT, northeastern SA, and most of QLD and NSW.



Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid in clusters that float on the surface of the water in flooded ditches and small temporary ponds. Tadpoles can reach a total length of up to nearly 7 cm, and are dusky brown in colour. They swim throughout all levels of water bodies, and take at least one month to develop into frogs, although tadpoles in colder areas may take much longer. Breeds during spring and summer.


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