A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. [1] Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia suborder have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely related to each other.
Millions of years of convergent evolution have resulted in very similar morphology even in species that are not very closely related. [2] Furthermore, tree frogs in seasonally arid environments have adapted an extra-epidermal layer of lipid and mucus as an evolutionary convergent response to accommodate the periodic dehydration stress.
As the name implies, these frogs are typically found in trees or other high-growing vegetation. They do not normally descend to the ground, except to mate and spawn, though some build foam nests on leaves and rarely leave the trees at all as adults, and Eleutherodactylus has evolved direct development and therefore does not need water for a tadpole stage.
Tree frogs are usually tiny as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs in their habitats. While some reach 10 cm (4 in) or more, they are typically smaller and more slender than terrestrial frogs. Tree frogs typically have well-developed discs at the finger and toe tips, they rely on several attachment mechanisms that vary with circumstances, tree frogs require static and dynamic, adhesive and frictional, reversible and repeatable force generation; the fingers and toes themselves, as well as the limbs, tend to be rather small, resulting in a superior grasping ability. The genus Chiromantis of the Rhacophoridae is most extreme in this respect: it can oppose two fingers to the other two, resulting in a vise-like grip.
Tree frogs are members of these families or genera:
The Neobatrachia are a suborder of the Anura, the order of frogs and toads.
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 semiaquatic.
The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs in tropical sub-Saharan Africa, South India and Sri Lanka, Japan, northeastern India to eastern China and Taiwan, south through the Philippines and Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as "moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frogs". Among the most spectacular members of this family are numerous "flying frogs".
The Mantellidae are an amphibian family of the order Anura, and are endemic to the Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar and Mayotte. At first glance, the diminutive, brightly-coloured mantellas appear visually similar to the Latin American poison dart frogs, such as Dendrobates, Oophaga and Phyllobates, among others.
Hyla annectans is a species of tree frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in Asia south of the Himalayas in northeast India, northern Myanmar, and northern montane Vietnam and southwestern and central China. There are isolated records in northwestern Thailand and adjacent Myanmar. There is uncertainty whether Hyla gongshanensis from China should be recognized as a distinct species. This widespread species has many common names: Jerdon's tree frog, Assam treefrog, Indian hylid frog, green leave frog, or Southwestern China treefrog.
A flying frog is a frog that has the ability to achieve gliding flight. This means it can descend at an angle less than 45° relative to the horizontal. Other nonflying arboreal frogs can also descend, but only at angles greater than 45°, which is referred to as parachuting.
Dendropsophus ebraccatus, also known as the hourglass treefrog, referring to the golden-brown hourglass shape seen surrounded by skin yellow on its back. Their underbellies are yellow. Their arms and lower legs usually display bold patterns while their upper legs or thighs are light yellow giving them the appearance of wearing no pants. The species name "ebraccata" translates to "without trousers" in Latin.
The pine woods tree frog is a species of frog in the family Hylidae, endemic to the southeastern United States.
Troschel's treefrog, also known as the blue-flanked treefrog or the convict treefrog, is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in most parts of the Amazon Basin including Suriname. Colombian, Guianan and Venezuelan records need confirmation.
Isthmohyla zeteki is a species of frogs in the family Hylidae native to the Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca of Costa Rica and western Panama. The specific name zeteki honors James Zetek, an American entomologist who worked in Panama. Common name Zetek's treefrog has been coined for the species.
Boophis is the only genus in the mantellid frog subfamily Boophinae. They are commonly known as bright-eyed or skeleton frogs. They show typical 'tree frog' traits, and are a good example of convergent evolution with morphologically similar species in the families Hylidae and Rhacophoridae, among others. This genus can only be found on Madagascar and Mayotte Island (Comoros).
Boophis occidentalis is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, rivers, pastureland, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The grey foam-nest tree frog, or southern foam-nest tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. They are found in southern Africa.
The Ranoidea are a superfamily of frogs in the order Anura. Members of this superfamily are characterised by having the pectoral girdle fused into a single complex unit, having no ribs, and using an axillary grip during amplexus. The larvae have a single spiracle on the left side and complex mouthparts, or in some species, undergo direct development. The taxonomy of these families has been under heavy debate for many years. In recent studies, molecular data has been used to better identify the phylogentic relationships of these frogs, rearranging and introducing new subfamilies to better distinguish between large groups of frogs.
The common tree frog is a species in the shrub frog family, Rhacophoridae.
Boophis ankarafensis also known as Ankarafa skeleton frog is a species of frog in the family Mantellidae. It is endemic to Madagascar's northwestern coast where it is only known from Ankarafa Forest, a forest fragment in the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park.
Boophis popi is a nocturnal species of skeleton frog endemic to the forests of Madagascar. It is characterized by its red irises and distinctly elevated reticulations on the dorsum. It is brown and gray, has slender limbs, a pulsating call, and is slightly larger than similar frogs in its genus. The species was described in 2011 and is named after the company "pop-interactive GmbH".
Boophis fayi is a nocturnal species of skeleton frog endemic to the forests and wetlands or Madagascar with unusual greenish eyes. It is considered to be vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.