Introduction 

The name “White’s” refers to the fact that John White was the one who initially described these frogs. Because they love tree canopies as their home, the word “tree” appears in their name. The Australian green tree frogs and huge Florida green tree frogs are other names for White’s tree frogs. They are often referred to as dumpy tree frogs. Unlike the majority of their cousins, they are known as being calm, kind, and laid back creatures who do not enjoy leaping. Globally, people love having them as exotic pets.

 

Geographical Distribution of White Tree Frog

Indonesia, southern New Guinea, and a large portion of Australia, particularly the north and east, are the native habitats of white tree frog. introduced: New Zealand and Florida

Habitat Of White Tree Frog

As a habitat generalist, this plant may thrive in a variety of settings, including desert and coastal regions. These frogs are often arboreal, living in tree canopies close to still water sources, although they may also be found in forests distant from water, in grasslands, beside streams and marshes on rocks, in rock crevices, and within hollow tree trunks. Where there are water sources, such as canals and drainage ditches, toilets, sinks, water tanks, and gutters, they have adapted to the urban and suburban environments. In New Guinea, they live in gardens, open monsoon woods, as well as some portions of habitations.

Characteristics of the body

• Appearance: There is no apparent neck; the head of the White’s tree frog merges into the body. Short and blunt describe the mouth. These frogs have short legs with long, thick toes that culminate in large, asymmetrical pads. While the toes are almost entirely webbed, the fingers are only around one-third webbed. The skin on the back is grainy on the sides and smooth in the middle.
• Body: Adults have a well-developed lumpy or fleshy fold behind each eye called the supratympanal ridge, which may be partially hidden by the tympanums, which are visible on both sides of the skull and look similar to eardrums. The vocal sac beneath the neck area is wrinkled and greyish in colour in men, whereas it is white in females.
• Colour: These frogs’ colour is a combination of yellow pigments layered with blue and green pigments. The temperature and colour of their surroundings affect how differently coloured they are. Jade, blue, or olive green are possible dorsal colorations. Both sexes can have white patches from the corner of the mouth to the base of the arms, as well as irregularly shaped white markings or distinct stripes on the sides. The outside edge of the fifth toe and the back edge of the lower thigh may both have a white stripe. The thighs range in colour from yellow to maroon. The ventral surface can be greyish to yellowish white or white. Females have a white neck. Golden eyes have irises that are horizontal.

Size of White Tree Frog

From snout to vent, females are 3.9 to 5.9 inches (10 to 15 centimetres) in length. Males are around 2.54 centimetres (1 inch) smaller.

Favorite Dite

Grashoppers, mosquitoes, beetles, flies, moths, and spiders are the main sources of food for adult White’s tree frogs. They consume small animals as well. The frog launches its tongue out of its mouth when the prey is tiny enough to be caught on its sticky surface. They pounce on larger prey, seize it with their hands, and push the food into their jaws to catch it. Tadpoles eat everything. They consume algae, mosquito larvae, insects that have drowned, and other species’ tadpoles.

Reproduction

White tree frogs reach sexual maturity around the age of two. Early in October, lone males begin calling from exposed, high surfaces in an effort to entice a female. In the months of November through February, a male and a female will mate near a body of calm water. In shallow water, the couple forms an amplexus and stays there for roughly two days. The male fertilises 200–300 brown eggs as they are swiftly ejected from the mother.

The transparent jelly-encased eggs, which measure 1.1–1.4 mm (0.04-0.06 in) in diameter, are laid on the surface of motionless water. It takes the spawn 24 hours to sink. Over the course of two days, eggs are discharged and fertilised multiple times. Between 2,000 and 3,000 eggs are laid altogether. If the water is the right depth and temperature, the eggs will hatch in three days. Upon hatching, tadpoles have a spotted brown colour. In the wild, the transformation from tadpoles to froglets to adults takes two months.

Behaviour of White Tree Frog

Nighttime hunting is the primary activity of White’s tree frogs. They seek out cool, wet, dark locations to sleep throughout the day. Throughout the majority of the year, they make low, sluggish, and repetitive cries from high places like trees and gutters.

The males produce a deep, repeating crawk, crawk, crawk or barking sound to attract a female when it is breeding season as they go closer to still-water sources. In the presence of a predator, they make an ear-piercing stress call.

Adaptation

Before mating season, the male grows a black nuptial pad on the inside of his thumb, which allows him to hold onto the female for the length of their mating, which might last up to two days.These frogs may burrow and wrap themselves in a cocoon of shed skin and mucous to keep themselves wet during dry seasons.

 

Longevity

When kept in a safe setting, such an aquarium, White tree frogs have been reported to survive for 23 years. In the wild, they most likely have a shorter lifespan.

Interesting Fact about White Tree Frog

The tree frog family does not include all frogs. However, not all frogs that inhabit trees belong to the hylid family, which alone inhabits trees.

 

Conversation

The IUCN Red List lists White tree frogs as a species of least concern because of its widespread distribution and habitat tolerance. They are protected by Australia’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, however keeping them as pets and exporting them requires specific licences.

The species could be impacted by the importation of Indonesian people for the global pet trade. Frogs are raised for the pet trade in Florida, and their arrival has been aided by escapees and deliberate releases. Their populations might be affected by suburban pollution and predation by snakes, birds, and lizards in the wild.

Conclusion 

White tree frogs get fat if overfed, just like people do. One of its popular names, dumpy frog, comes from the fat layers that these frogs accumulate over the top of their heads and bodies, giving them a dumpy look.These frogs’ skin secretions are poisonous to blowflies. They include caerulens, which may interfere with digestion, and peptides with strong antibacterial and antiviral activity. The pharmaceutical sector is researching the secretions for use in treating human ailments and as a pesticide.