Rhacophoridae is a family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 of frog

Frog

Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...

 species, which occur in tropical regions of Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

 and Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as '"moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frog

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:...

s". Among the most spectacular members of this family are numerous "flying frog

Flying frog

A "flying" frog is a frog that has the ability to glide. That is, it can descend at an angle of less than 45° relative to the horizontal. Arboreal frogs can also descend vertically, but only at angles greater than 45°, which is referred to as parachuting...

s".

Most of the species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 are arboreal and this may include reproducing in trees. Mating frogs, while in amplexus

Amplexus

Amplexus is a form of pseudocopulation in which a male amphibian grasps a female with his front legs as part of the mating process...

, hold onto a branch, and beat their legs to form a foam. The eggs are laid in the foam, and covered with seminal fluid, before the foam hardens into a protective casing. In some species, this is done in a large group. The foam is laid above a water source, so the tadpoles fall into the water once they hatch.

The species within this family vary in size, from 1.5 centimetre (0.590551181102362 in) to 12 centimetres (4.7 in). Like other arboreal frogs, they have toe discs, and those of the genus Chiromantis

Chiromantis

Chiromantis is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. Most live in the African tropics, but the recently described Chiromantis samkosensis is endemic to Cambodia.-Species:* Chiromantis kelleri Boettger, 1893....

have two opposable fingers on each hand. This family also contains the Old World flying frog

Flying frog

A "flying" frog is a frog that has the ability to glide. That is, it can descend at an angle of less than 45° relative to the horizontal. Arboreal frogs can also descend vertically, but only at angles greater than 45°, which is referred to as parachuting...

s, including Wallace's flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus

Rhacophorus nigropalmatus

The Abah River Flying Frog , commonly known as Wallace's Flying Frog, is a moss frog found at least from to Malay Peninsula into western Indonesia. It is named for the biologist, Alfred R. Wallace, who collected the first specimen to be formally identified.R. dennysii, R...

). These frogs have extensive webbing between their hands and feet, allowing them to glide through the air.