Australian Frog Database

Australian Frogs

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Litoria caerulea

Family: Hylidae
Common name: Common Green Tree Frog

Description: This frog has a dark olive to bright green back, which can change over a period of an hour. The sides often have white spots as does the back. There is usually a white streak or a number of white spots that run from the corner of the mouth to the base of the arm. The belly is white and granular. There is a skin fold that runs from the eye to the arm. The skin on the back is smooth and the iris of the eye is golden. The finger and toe pads are large. The fingers are one-third webbed and the toes are three-quarters webbed.

Size: 100 mm

Habitat: This frog lives in many habitats and is often found around human buildings such as shower blocks, water tanks and toilets.

Call: A low "crawk…crawk…crawk" sound. Call available in Windows Media or Quicktime audio. Recording Copyright © David Stewart.

Breeding: Males call after heavy summer rains from December to February. Breeding takes place in shallow water.

Eggs: Are large and laid in floating clumps that form a single layer on the surface of the water.

Tadpoles: Are fairly large and range from dusky brown, olive brown to translucent gold-brown in colour depending on the habitat. These tadpoles eat a variety of food and grow very fast.

Similar species: This frog can be distinguished from Litoria splendida [186] by its distribution and it does not have a gland on the top of its head.

Other characteristics: Lots of people like to keep Green Tree Frogs as pets, because they are easy to look after and fascinating to watch.

Conservation Information

Suspected threatening processes

• Habitat modification (e.g. vegetation clearing, invasive weeds)

Population size: An estimate of the total number of adults present in the species entire range is >50000 individuals. Some factors affecting population size and distribution are known, but 1 or more major factors are unknown.

Population trend in Australia over the past 50 years: Population trend unknown; no information on habitat changes.

Knowledge of population trend in Australia: Not currently monitored.

Population concentration: Not known to concentrate or exist in discrete locations. (e.g. the number of sites in which individuals group together either seasonally, such as breeding sites, or they may occupy discrete habitat patches within the broader landscape, such as discrete water bodies or drainage units.)

Ongoing management activities in Australia: None directed primarily at the taxon.

Reproductive potential for recovery: The average number of eggs deposited per adult female per year is >1000 eggs/female/year. Minimum age at which females are known or suspected to first reproduce is 2-3 years.

Range size in Australia: The size of the geographic area over which the taxon is distributed: > 1,000,000 km².

Distribution trend: Area occupied has declined by < 25%. (This is an estimate of change in the portion of the total range that is occupied or utilised; it may not equal the change in total range.)

Knowledge of distribution in Australia: Broad range limits or habitat associations are known, but local occurrence cannot be predicted accurately.

References

Anstis, M. 2002. Tadpoles of South-eastern Australia. Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Barker, J., G.C. Grigg and M.J. Tyler. 1995. A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty & Sons: Chipping Norton.

Cogger, H.G. 2000. Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. Reed Books: Sydney.

Robinson, M. 2002. A Field Guide to Frogs of Australia. Australian Museum/Reed New Holland: Sydney.

Swan, G. 2001. Green Guide to Frogs of Australia. New Holland: Sydney.