Green Thighed Frog
Encyclopedia
The Green Thighed Frog, (Litoria brevipalmata) is a medium sized species of ground-dwelling tree frog
.
. Their range stretches from Cordalba State Forest in south-eastern Queensland
to Ourimbah in New South Wales
; however within this area populations area severely fragmented. There are several records from Darkes Forest, south of Sydney
, but these are erroneous. Numbers have decreased at Ourimbah but there have been no record of declines or disappearances elsewhere. It is believed that they occupy an area of less than 500km2; this has led to them being listed as endangered on the IUCN RedList of Threatened Species
s. The margin of the upper jaw is marked with white, this stripe continues to the base of the arm. The armpits are marked with lime green or yellow. The backs of the thighs and groin are bright blue, green or blue-green with black mottling. The tympanum
is distinct and finger and toe pads are medium sized. The fingers are free from webbing and the toes are one-third webbed. The iris is dark brown with a golden crescent in the upper half. The legs are shorter compared to other ground-dwelling hylids.
, wet sclerophyll
and open forests. Breeding occurs from September to May after heavy rains. The call is a series of "quack" or "wok" sounds that may last for up to 2 minutes. 300 to 600 eggs are deposited in temporary pools and flooded areas and are laid in clumps among waterweed at the waters surface.
Tree frog
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semi-aquatic.-Characteristics:...
.
Distribution
The Green Thighed Frog is native to the east coast of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Their range stretches from Cordalba State Forest in south-eastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to Ourimbah in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
; however within this area populations area severely fragmented. There are several records from Darkes Forest, south of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, but these are erroneous. Numbers have decreased at Ourimbah but there have been no record of declines or disappearances elsewhere. It is believed that they occupy an area of less than 500km2; this has led to them being listed as endangered on the IUCN RedList of Threatened Species
Physical description
The dorsal surface is chocolate brown with darker flecks. The ventral surface is white or pale yellow and peppered with fine dark spots over the throat. There is a thick stripe that runs from the snout, through the eye and tympanum and then breaks up into blotches on the flankFlank
Flank may refer to:* Flank, the side of either a horse or a military unit*Flanking maneuver in military tactics* Flank , the waveform edge formed when a signal goes high or low...
s. The margin of the upper jaw is marked with white, this stripe continues to the base of the arm. The armpits are marked with lime green or yellow. The backs of the thighs and groin are bright blue, green or blue-green with black mottling. The tympanum
Tympanum (zoology)
The tympanum is an external hearing structure in animals such as frogs, toads, insects, and mammals, to name a few.-Anurans:In frogs and toads, it is located just behind the eye. It does not actually process sound waves; it simply transmits them to the amphibian's inner ear, which is protected...
is distinct and finger and toe pads are medium sized. The fingers are free from webbing and the toes are one-third webbed. The iris is dark brown with a golden crescent in the upper half. The legs are shorter compared to other ground-dwelling hylids.
Ecology and behaviour
The Green Thighed Frog inhabits areas of rainforestRainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
, wet sclerophyll
Sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is the term for a type of vegetation that has hard leaves and short internodes . The word comes from the Greek sclero and phyllon ....
and open forests. Breeding occurs from September to May after heavy rains. The call is a series of "quack" or "wok" sounds that may last for up to 2 minutes. 300 to 600 eggs are deposited in temporary pools and flooded areas and are laid in clumps among waterweed at the waters surface.