The Northern Dwarf Tree Frog, (Litoria bicolor) is a small species of 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:...

 native to northern 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 the Kimberly

Kimberley region of Western Australia

The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...

 region of Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

 to Bowen

Bowen, Queensland

Bowen is a town on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Bowen had a population of 7,484.-Geography:Bowen is located on the north-east coast of Australia, at exactly twenty degrees south of the equator. In fact, the twentieth parallel crosses the main street...

, 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...

 and Aru Islands

Aru

Aru and ARU may refer to:Aru* Name of Lady in India* Aru Islands, a group of islands in the Moluccas* Sultanate of Deli , an early Islamic polity in northeast Sumatra* Aru, Democratic Republic of Congo, a town in Ituri province...

 of Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

. The population occurring in Indonesia may not be Litoria bicolor and research on call structure or genetics is needed to confirm its taxonomic status.

Physical description

The Northern Dwarf Tree Frog is small slender tree frog growing up to 30 mm in length. The dorsal surface is green and is bordered by a bronze stripe that runs along the flank

Flank

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, from the shoulder to the groin. There is a white stripe that runs along the upper lip to the base of the arm and may continue on to the groin. The belly is granular and white or pale yellow. The iris is golden and 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. There is orange in the groin and thigh. The fingers have a trace of webbing and the toes are half to three-quarters webbed.

Ecology and behaviour

Most abundant in grassland or marshy areas, but also occurs along permanent or semi-permanent streams, billabongs and floodplains. Breeding starts with summer rains and 10-20 eggs are laid on submerged vegetation in temporary pools. Males call from around the breeding site from elevated positions. The call is a "wree-e-eck pippip" with the second part of the call starting before the first part finishes. Tadpole metamorphosis takes 70 to 80 days.

Similar species

The Northern Dwarf Tree Frog is a member of the Litoria fallax complex, which includes also includes the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog

The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog , 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...

 (Litoria fallax), Cooloola Tree Frog (Litoria cooloolensis) and Olongburra Frog (Litoria olongburensis). All these species are similar in appearance (small <30mm and similar body shape) and have a similar call (ratchet like "wreek"). The Northern Dwarf Tree Frog is most similar to the Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog. They occur together along the east coast of 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...

. Litoria bicolor can be distinguished from Litoria fallax most readily by the presence of a bronze stripe that runs down the flanks and the call. The first phase of the call of Litoria bicolor is twice as long as that of Litoria fallax.