White-lipped tree frog

The white-lipped tree frog (Nyctimystes infrafrenatus) is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is the world's largest tree frog (the Cuban tree frog reaches a similar maximum size) and is found in Australia. Other common names include the New Guinea treefrog, giant tree frog, and Australian giant treefrog.[4]

This article is about the Australian frog. For other uses, see White-lipped tree frog (disambiguation).
"Giant tree frog" redirects here. For other uses, see Giant tree frog (disambiguation).

White-lipped tree frog
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Hylidae
Genus: Nyctimystes
Species:
N. infrafrenatus
Binomial name
Nyctimystes infrafrenatus
Synonyms
List
  • Hyla infrafrenata Günther, 1867
  • Calamita dolichopsis Cope, 1867
  • Pelodryas dolichopsis Meyer, 1875
  • Pelodryas militarius Ramsay, 1878
  • Litoria guttata Macleay, 1878
  • Hyla dolichopsis Boulenger, 1882
  • Hyla infrataeniata Boulenger, 1885
  • Hyla spengeli Boulenger, 1912
  • Hyla militaria Boulenger, 1912
  • Hyla trinilensis Ahl, 1929
  • Hyla infralineata Rensch, 1936
  • Hyla spengleri Loveridge, 1948
  • Litoria infrafrenata Tyler, 1971
  • Sandyrana infrafrenata Wells and Wellington, 1985

Description

The white-lipped tree frog reaches 11–14 cm (4.3–5.5 in) in length.[5] Females are larger than males, and have thicker skin in correlation with the difference in body size.[6] Its dorsal surface is usually bright green, although the colour changes depending on the temperature and background, and can be brown. The ventral surface is off-white. The lower lip has a distinctive white stripe (giving this species its name), which continues to the shoulder. The white stripes on the trailing edges of the lower leg may turn pink in the breeding male. The white-lipped tree frog has large toe pads, which aid it to climb. The toes are completely webbed, and the hands are partially webbed.

Ecology and behaviour

The white-lipped tree frog is found along the coastal areas of Cape York Peninsula and the wet tropics of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. It is the most widely distributed tree frog in the New Guinea region, spanning from eastern Indonesia, through the New Guinea mainland, to the Bismarck and the Admiralty Islands in the north. It lives in rainforests, cultivated areas, and around houses in coastal areas, and is restricted to areas below 1200 m in altitude.

It has a loud, barking call, but when distressed, it makes a cat-like "mew" sound or may discharge urine. Males call during spring and summer after rain from vegetation around the breeding site, normally a still body of water.

Its diet is mainly insects and other arthropods. It can live to over 10 years in the wild.

This species of frog is known for being moved around in fruit produce from northern Australia and ending up becoming a lost frog in southern areas.

As a pet

It is kept as a pet; but in Australia, it may be kept in captivity only with an appropriate permit.

  • Giant tree frog in a Melbourne zoo
    Giant tree frog in a Melbourne zoo
  • White-lipped tree frog
    White-lipped tree frog
  • White-lipped tree frog
    White-lipped tree frog
  • A brown white-lipped tree frog
    A brown white-lipped tree frog
  • Green Tree Snake - Dendrelaphis puntulata - eating White-lipped Tree Frog near Cooktown, Queensland
    Green Tree Snake - Dendrelaphis puntulata - eating White-lipped Tree Frog near Cooktown, Queensland
  • The white-lipped tree frog (Litoria infrafrenata) in the Kyiv zoo
    The white-lipped tree frog (Litoria infrafrenata) in the Kyiv zoo
  • White-lipped green tree frog
    White-lipped green tree frog

References
  1. Iskandar, D.; Mumpuni, Hero, J.; Retallick, R.; Richards, S. (2017). "Nyctimystes infrafrenatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T41095A114114070. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T41095A114114070.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. EOL.org
  3. Barker, J., Grigg, G. C., and Tyler, M. J. (1995). A Field Guide to Australian Frogs. Surrey Beatty and Sons, New South Wales.
  4. "Nyctimystes infrafrenatus (Günther, 1867) | Amphibian Species of the World". research.amnh.org. Retrieved 2019-10-02.
  5. James Cook University, Australia: Litoria infrafrenata. Retrieved 19 June 2014
  6. Vanburen, Collin S.; Norman, David B.; Fröbisch, Nadia B. (2019). "Examining the relationship between sexual dimorphism in skin anatomy and body size in the white-lipped treefrog, Litoria infrafrenata (Anura: Hylidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 186 (2): 491–500. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zly070. PMC 7797633. PMID 33551467.
  • Menzies, J.I. (1976). Handbook of Common New Guinea Frogs. Wau Ecology Institute.
  • Cronin, L., (2001). Australian Reptiles and Amphibians, Envirobook, ISBN 0-85881-186-3
  • Cogger, H.G. (2000). Reptiles and amphibians of Australia. Reed Books: Sydney.
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