Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog
Encyclopedia
The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax), is a small and very common tree frog
found on the eastern coast of Australia
, from around Cairns, Queensland
to around Ulladulla, New South Wales
. Individual frogs of this species are often found in having been accidentally relocated via transported fruit boxes. Confirmed sightings of breeding couples have confirmed their survival in Victoria's cooler climate.
This is a small species of frogs, females can reach a maximum size of 25-30mm, while males may only reach 20mm when fully grown. It is of variable colour (depending upon temperature
and colour of surrounding environment), ranging from fawn to light green on top, and occasionally has black flecks on its back. A white line begins under the eye
, and joins the white stomach
. A brown line begins from the nostril
, and continues through the eye, and between the green (or fawn) and white sections on the top and bottom of the body. This species toe discs are only slightly larger than the toes and toes are 3 quarters webbed. Some individuals will have an orange posterior thigh.
country and cleared farmland. The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog lives in reeds
and similar plants both near and away from the water. They often will inhabit banana
trees in the Northern areas of Australia, and are sometimes shipped with the bananas throughout Australia. They are known in Australia for becoming lost frog
s by turning up in fruit
shops
outside of their normal range.
Breeding occurs at small ponds or dams, which have a lot of reeds or other emergent vegetation
. This species will often breed in temporary water. The call of the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog is a short, high pitched, wr-e-e-ek ip-ip, repeated three or four times. They emit their call from a single submandibular vocal sac. The males call during the spring and summer seasons, often before and after heavy rain.
Approximately 200-300 eggs are laid at each amplexus
and clumps of spawn contain up to 35 eggs. The minimum tadpole lifespan is 118 days, at a consist temperature of 20°C. Metamorphosis occurs from January to March, the metamorphs resemble the adults and are very small only 9-13mm in length.
This species is a member of the Dwarf Tree Frog complex. As well as this species this species complex is composed of the Northern Dwarf Tree Frog
(Litoria bicolor), Cooloolah Tree Frog (Litoria coololensis), and Wallum Sedge Frog
(Litoria olongburensis). All of these species are similar in size (smaller than 30mm) and have a similar ratchet like call. The species along the east coast often inhabit coastal wallum and acid swamps. Most of these species have more than one common name, with a least one name containing "Dwarf Tree 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...
found on the eastern coast of Australia
Australia
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...
, from around Cairns, Queensland
Cairns, Queensland
Cairns is a regional city in Far North Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was...
to around Ulladulla, New South Wales
Ulladulla, New South Wales
Ulladulla is a coastal town in New South Wales, Australia in the City of Shoalhaven local government area. It is on the Princes Highway, about half way between the larger towns of Batemans Bay to the south and Nowra to the north and approximately 179 km south of Sydney...
. Individual frogs of this species are often found in having been accidentally relocated via transported fruit boxes. Confirmed sightings of breeding couples have confirmed their survival in Victoria's cooler climate.
Physical description
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
and colour of surrounding environment), ranging from fawn to light green on top, and occasionally has black flecks on its back. A white line begins under the eye
Eye
Eyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
, and joins the white stomach
Stomach
The stomach is a muscular, hollow, dilated part of the alimentary canal which functions as an important organ of the digestive tract in some animals, including vertebrates, echinoderms, insects , and molluscs. It is involved in the second phase of digestion, following mastication .The stomach is...
. A brown line begins from the nostril
Nostril
A nostril is one of the two channels of the nose, from the point where they bifurcate to the external opening. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbinates, whose function is to warm air on inhalation and remove moisture on exhalation...
, and continues through the eye, and between the green (or fawn) and white sections on the top and bottom of the body. This species toe discs are only slightly larger than the toes and toes are 3 quarters webbed. Some individuals will have an orange posterior thigh.
Ecology and behaviour
This frog is associated with a wide variety of habitats including coastal swamps, lagoons, dams, ditches, and garden ponds in forest, heathland, wallumWallum
Wallum, or Wallum country, is an Australian ecosystem of coastal south-east Queensland, extending into north-eastern New South Wales. It is characterised by floristically-rich shrubland and heathland on deep, nutrient-poor acidic sandy soils and regular wildfire. Seasonal changes in the...
country and cleared farmland. The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog lives in reeds
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
and similar plants both near and away from the water. They often will inhabit banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
trees in the Northern areas of Australia, and are sometimes shipped with the bananas throughout Australia. They are known in Australia for becoming lost frog
Lost frog
Lost frogs is a term given to frogs which have been, usually accidentally, outside of their original distribution.The term mainly applies to Australia, due to the large amount of frogs accidentally while hiding in fruit produce, flowers and building and landscape supplies...
s by turning up in fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
shops
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
outside of their normal range.
Size
The eastern dwarf tree frog is 15-25mm long from snout to the behind. the tadpoles are bigger than the adult frog, with a size of 30mmBreeding
Emergent plant
An emergent plant is one which grows in water but which pierces the surface so that it is partially in air. Collectively, such plants are emergent vegetation....
. This species will often breed in temporary water. The call of the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog is a short, high pitched, wr-e-e-ek ip-ip, repeated three or four times. They emit their call from a single submandibular vocal sac. The males call during the spring and summer seasons, often before and after heavy rain.
Approximately 200-300 eggs are laid at each 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...
and clumps of spawn contain up to 35 eggs. The minimum tadpole lifespan is 118 days, at a consist temperature of 20°C. Metamorphosis occurs from January to March, the metamorphs resemble the adults and are very small only 9-13mm in length.
Similar Species
Northern Dwarf Tree Frog
The Northern Dwarf Tree Frog, is a small species of tree frog native to northern Australia, from the Kimberly region of Western Australia to Bowen, Queensland and Aru Islands of Indonesia...
(Litoria bicolor), Cooloolah Tree Frog (Litoria coololensis), and Wallum Sedge Frog
Wallum Sedge Frog
The Wallum Sedge Frog , also known as the Olongburra Frog or the Sharp-snouted Reed Frog, is endemic to Australia. Varying in color from brown to dark green it inhabits the thick and often acidic marshes of the Wallum along the coast of Queensland and New South Wales. Mating season comes in early...
(Litoria olongburensis). All of these species are similar in size (smaller than 30mm) and have a similar ratchet like call. The species along the east coast often inhabit coastal wallum and acid swamps. Most of these species have more than one common name, with a least one name containing "Dwarf Tree Frog".