Litoria

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Litoria
Litoria dentata2.jpg
Screaming tree frog (Litoria quiritatus)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Subfamily: Pelodryadinae
Genus: Litoria
Tschudi, 1838
Species

See text

Litoria is a genus of hylid tree frogs, sometimes collectively referred to as Australasian treefrogs.

Contents

Description

The species within the genus Litoria are extremely variable in appearance, behaviour, and habitat. The smallest species is the javelin frog (L. microbelos), reaching a maximum snout–to–vent length of 1.6 cm (0.6 in), [1] [2] while the largest, the giant tree frog (L. infrafrenata), reaches a size of 13.5–14 cm (5.3–5.5 in).

They are distinguishable from other tree frogs by the presence of horizontal irises, no pigmentation of the eyelids, and their distribution east and south from Wallacea. Over one hundred species are recognised and new species are still being added, such as the Pinocchio frog discovered in 2008 and described in 2019. [3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

The frogs are native to Australia, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and the Moluccan Islands. The appearance, behaviour and habitat of each species are usually linked. The small, dark-coloured frogs are generally terrestrial and never, or infrequently, climb. The larger green species are usually arboreal, with some only venturing to the ground to breed.

Species

Litoria everetti EVERETT'S TIMOR TREEFROG (female) Litoria everetti Meleotegi River, Ermera District, Timor-Leste (USNM 578928).jpg
Litoria everetti
Litoria fallax Litoria fallax.jpg
Litoria fallax
Litoria jervisiensis Litoria jervisiensis.JPG
Litoria jervisiensis
Litoria nasuta Litoria nasuta.JPG
Litoria nasuta

While some former species have been moved to the genera Nyctimystes and Ranoidea , the following are recognised within the genus Litoria: [5]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern dwarf tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The eastern dwarf tree frog, also known as the eastern sedge-frog, is a species of tree frog. It is a small and very common frog and 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 elsewhere, having been accidentally relocated by transported fruit boxes. Confirmed sightings of breeding pairs have confirmed their survival in Victoria's cooler climate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-lipped tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The white-lipped tree frog is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is the world's largest tree frog and is found in Australia. Other common names include the New Guinea treefrog, giant tree frog, and Australian giant treefrog.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robust bleating tree frog</span> Species of amphibian

The robust bleating tree frog, also known as Keferstein's tree frog, is a species of tree frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. This frog is endemic to coastal eastern Australia, where it ranges from northeastern New South Wales to the NSW/Queensland border. It has also been introduced to Lord Howe Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern dwarf tree frog</span>

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.

Ranoidea vagitus, the wailing frog, is a species of tree frog occupying the arid and monsoonal Kimberley region. It is a ground dweller, which evades dry periods by burrowing and hibernating - emerging to breed during floods.

The Cooloola sedge frog or Cooloola tree frog is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae.

Djoko Tjahjono Iskandar is an Indonesian herpetologist who studies the amphibians of Southeast Asia and Australasia. He is a professor of biosystematics and ecology at Bandung Institute of Technology in West Java, Indonesia.

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The Pinocchio frog or northern Pinocchio treefrog is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It was discovered in the Foja Mountains of Papua Province in Indonesia by Conservation International and the National Geographic Society during a 2008 expedition, where it was accidentally spotted by Paul Oliver, a herpetologist. Despite being discovered in 2008, it remained undescribed and was long known simply as the "Pinocchio frog" until 2019, when it was finally described as Litoria pinocchio. The frog is named for its Pinocchio-like nose, which can enlarge and inflate in certain situations. Although unusual, a similar nose is found in several other related frogs from New Guinea, including L. chrisdahli, L. havina, L. mareku, L. mucro, L. pronimia and L. prora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelodryadinae</span> Subfamily of amphibians

Pelodryadinae, also known as Australian treefrogs, is a subfamily of frogs found in the region of Australia and New Guinea, and have also been introduced to New Caledonia, Guam, New Zealand, and Vanuatu.

The Kimberley rockhole frog is a species of small treefrog that is endemic to Western Australia. The species epithet aurifera (‘gold-bearing’) refers to the colouring of the tadpoles.

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The parachuting frog, or pale-eyed parachuting tree frog, is a species of frog found in New Guinea. It is in the Nyctimystes gramineus complex with the Pinocchio frog and montane Pinocchio frog.

The montane Pinocchio frog is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is endemic to New Guinea. Scientists saw it on Hides Ridge in the karstic area of the Southern Fold Mountains in Papua New Guinea. Like the Pinocchio frog, it has a protuberance on its snout that can grow or shrink.

References

  1. Jean-Marc Hero, Dale Roberts, Paul Horner, Richard Retallick (2004). "Litoria microbelos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2004: e.T41099A10390183. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T41099A10390183.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "Javelin Frog Litoria microbelos (Cogger 1966)". Government of Western Australia. 2013.
  3. Newscientist.com
  4. Richards, Stephen J.; Mumpuni, Mumpuni; Günther, Rainer; Oliver, Paul M. (2019-05-14). "Systematics of New Guinea treefrogs ( Litoria : Pelodryadidae) with erectile rostral spikes: an extended description of Litoria pronimia and a new species from the Foja Mountains". Zootaxa. 4604 (2): 335–348. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4604.2.6. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   31717193. S2CID   181852228.
  5. "Litoria Tschudi, 1838 | Amphibian Species of the World". research.amnh.org. Retrieved 2019-12-22.

Bibliography