The Bleating Tree Frog or Keferstein's Tree Frog (Litoria dentata) is a 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:...

 of the genus Litoria. This frog is native to coastal eastern Australia, from 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 around Eden, New South Wales

Eden, New South Wales

Eden is a coastal town in the South Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The town, south of the state capital Sydney near the border with Victoria, is located between Nullica Bay to the south and Calle Calle Bay, the northern reach of Twofold Bay, and built on undulating land adjacent to a...

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Physical description

The frog is small (45 millimetres) in length. The dorsal surface of this frog is a dark or pale, rich brown, with broad irrigular, lighter bands on each side of the frog starting from the back of the eye. A dark stripe runs from the snout, through the eye and onto the tympanum. There is a white bar directly under the under. The ventral surface is light cream, although in breeding males can be yellow. The fingers are one-third webbed, and toes are two thirds webbed. The tympanum is visible. The iris is a strong rusty red colour. During the breeding season males become a yellowish colour.

Ecology and behaviour

This frog is associated with coastal lagoons, ponds and swamps, in heathland, sclerophyll forest and cleared farmland. The Bleating Tree Frog is well known for its loud, high pitched call, which can be painful to humans nearby. Males call from vegetation or ground around the breeding site. Mass breeding and calling can take place on warm, wet, overcast nights during spring and summer.

As a pet

It is kept as a pet, in Australia this animal may be kept in captivity with the appropriate permit.