Boophis is a genus of highly arboreal frogs which evolved from the toxic terrestrial Mantellidae of Madagascar.Exotic toads such as the cane toad ( Rhinella marinus) and the Asian black-spined toad ( Duttaphrynus melanostictus) pose a serious threat to Victoria's environment.Įxotic toads are often confused with native frog species and many people have difficulty telling them apart.Hyperoliidae, or reed frogs, are closely related to the burrowing Microhylidae these small frogs are native to sub-Saharan Africa.Centrolenidae, or glass frogs, are potentially closely related to hylids these translucent frogs are native to Central and South America.Rhacophoridae, or shrub frogs, are the treefrogs of tropical regions around the Indian Ocean: Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia east to Lydekker's line.Hylidae, or "true" treefrogs, occur in the temperate to tropical parts of Eurasia north of the Himalayas, Australia and the Americas.Tree frogs are members of these families or genera: 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 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. While some reach 10 cm (4 in) or more, they are typically smaller and more slender than terrestrial frogs. Tree frogs are usually tiny as their weight has to be carried by the branches and twigs in their habitats. 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. įurthermore, 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.ĭescription Red-eyed treefrog, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica Gladiator treefrog ( Hypsiboas rosenbergi), Osa Peninsula, Costa RicaĪs the name implies, these frogs are typically found in trees or other high-growing vegetation. Millions of years of convergent evolution have resulted in very similar morphology even in species that are not very closely related. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia suborder have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely related to each other. European treefrog ( Hyla arborea)Ī tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. For the genus of true toads sometimes known as tree toads, see Dendrophryniscus.
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