The most dangerous animals in the world: poisonous tree frogs. Common tree frog, or tree frog Habitat of tree frog

3.1 Least Concern:

common tree frog , or woodweed(lat. Hyla arborea) - a frog from the genus tree frog up to 5 cm long.

Appearance

Tree frogs are small frogs with a maximum body length of 53 mm (up to 60 mm in Europe). The coloration is very variable, it can change literally before our eyes, depending on the color of the substrate and the physiological state. Above, from grassy green to dark gray, bluish or brown. A dark strip with a white border on top runs along the sides of the head and torso, which forms a loop near the inguinal region. Bottom white or yellowish. Males have a dark throat.

area

They are found in most of Central and Western Europe (with the exception of southern Spain and southern France), in the north the borders reach the UK (introduced here), the northwestern part of the Netherlands, Norway. In the east, the border runs through northwestern Latvia, Belarus, and the regions of Russia bordering eastern Ukraine (Belgorod region). In Ukraine, it is distributed almost throughout the territory, but largest number in Polissya and in the forest-steppes. Distributed in the forest regions of the Crimea. AT steppe zone found on the banks of rivers.

reproduction

In spring, tree frogs wake up in late March - early April, in Moldova in the first decade of April, in the Carpathians and Crimea in April-May, in the Caucasus in early March, at an air temperature of 8-12 ° C. Sometimes they have to overcome up to 750 m in order to get into the reservoir. The males arriving first concentrate along the edge of the reservoir. For reproduction, various well-warmed reservoirs with stagnant water and vegetation are used. These can be shallow water bodies in clearings or forest edges, puddles, swamps, reclamation ditches, shallow coastal part of lakes. In rivers and other flowing water bodies, tree frogs do not lay eggs. Intense nightly concerts organized by males can continue until the end of May.

Spawning occurs at a water temperature of 13°C. The female lays about 690-1870 eggs in several portions in the form of small lumps (in Moldova, 15-21 lumps of 21-56 eggs each). The clutches lie at the bottom of the reservoir or are attached to plants. The spawning period is extended and lasts from the beginning of April to the end of July, in the Caucasus from the end of March to May. The diameter of the eggs with the shell is 3-4.5 mm, the egg is 1.0-1.6 mm. Embryonic development lasts about 8-14 days. The size of the larvae after hatching is 8-9 mm. Larval development lasts 45-90 days. Before metamorphosis, tadpoles reach a length of 46-49 mm. In the Carpathians, cases of wintering of larvae have been noted. Underyearlings with a length of 10-17 mm or more come to land during the daytime in July - early September. Unlike adults, they are very active during the day and stay mainly on the grass near water bodies.

A photo

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    Young tree frog

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    Tree frog on glass

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    Hyla01 ST 10.jpg

    HylaArborea-CallingMale.jpg

    Singing male

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    Frog caviar laying

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    hatching tadpoles

    Hyla arborea (Marek Szczepanek).jpg

    Rainette-AP (12).jpg

    HylaArboreaJuv.jpg

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Notes

Literature

  • Encyclopedia of Ukrainian Studies (10 volumes) / Editor-in-Chief Volodymyr Kubiyovych. - Paris, New York: Young Life, 1954-1989.
  • Knipovich N. M.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Links

An excerpt characterizing the common tree frog

- What?
- Drubetskoy?
No, recently...
- What do you like about him?
- Yes, he is a pleasant young man ... Why are you asking me this? - said Princess Mary, continuing to think about her morning conversation with her father.
- Because I made an observation - a young man usually comes from St. Petersburg to Moscow on vacation only with the aim of marrying a rich bride.
You have made this observation! - said Princess Mary.
“Yes,” Pierre continued with a smile, “and this young man now keeps himself in such a way that where there are rich brides, there he is.” I read it like a book. He is now undecided whom he should attack: you or Mademoiselle Julie Karagin. Il est tres assidu aupres d "elle. [He is very attentive to her.]
Does he visit them?
- Very often. And do you know a new way of courting? - Pierre said with a cheerful smile, apparently being in that cheerful spirit of good-natured mockery, for which he so often reproached himself in his diary.
“No,” said Princess Mary.
- Now, to please the Moscow girls - il faut etre melancolique. Et il est tres melancolique aupres de m lle Karagin, [one must be melancholy. And he is very melancholy with m elle Karagin,] - said Pierre.
– Vrayment? [Right?] - said Princess Mary, looking into Pierre's kind face and not ceasing to think about her grief. “It would be easier for me,” she thought, if I decided to believe to someone everything that I feel. And I would like to tell Pierre everything. He is so kind and noble. It would be easier for me. He would give me advice!”
- Would you marry him? Pierre asked.
“Ah, my God, Count, there are such moments when I would go for anyone,” Princess Mary suddenly said, unexpectedly for herself, with tears in her voice. “Ah, how hard it is to love a loved one and feel that ... nothing (she continued in a trembling voice) you can do for him except grief, when you know that you cannot change this. Then one thing - to leave, but where should I go? ...
- What are you, what is the matter with you, princess?
But the princess, without finishing, began to cry.
“I don't know what's wrong with me today. Don't listen to me, forget what I told you.
All Pierre's gaiety vanished. He anxiously questioned the princess, asked her to express everything, to confide her grief to him; but she only repeated that she asked him to forget what she had said, that she did not remember what she had said, and that she had no grief, except for what he knew - grief that the marriage of Prince Andrei threatened to quarrel her father with son.
Have you heard about the Rostovs? she asked to change the conversation. “I was told that they would be coming soon. I also wait for Andre every day. I would like them to meet here.
How does he look at the matter now? asked Pierre, by which he meant the old prince. Princess Mary shook her head.
– But what to do? The year is only a few months away. And it can't be. I would only wish to spare my brother the first few minutes. I wish they would come sooner. I hope to get along with her. You have known them for a long time, - said Princess Marya, - tell me, hand on heart, the whole true truth, what kind of girl is this and how do you find her? But the whole truth; because, you understand, Andrei risks so much by doing this against the will of his father that I would like to know ...
An obscure instinct told Pierre that in these reservations and repeated requests to tell the whole truth, Princess Marya's hostility towards her future daughter-in-law that she wanted Pierre to disapprove of the choice of Prince Andrei; but Pierre said what he felt rather than thought.
"I don't know how to answer your question," he said, blushing, not knowing why. “I definitely don’t know what kind of girl this is; I can't analyze it at all. She is charming. And why, I do not know: that's all that can be said about her. - Princess Mary sighed and the expression on her face said: "Yes, I expected this and was afraid."
- Is she smart? asked Princess Mary. Pierre considered.
“I think not,” he said, “but yes. She does not deign to be smart ... No, she is charming, and nothing more. Princess Mary again shook her head disapprovingly.

Common tree frog is a small and graceful frog of the tailless amphibian family. It has long limbs and shiny skin of interesting colors.

Description

As a rule, the tree frog has a color of green shades. Its length varies from 2 to 15 cm. Usually their colors are very bright, and the body is decorated with small elements and spots. different colors. They have big eyes and unusual fingers with webbing or other details of physiology.

Habitat in nature

There are approximately 3.5 thousand species in the world, including 19 families and more than 250 genera. The habitat is concentrated in Eurasia, the tropics of Australia and America, as well as in other countries found depending on the type of frog. Some representatives are found in the Caucasus, Ukraine, Russia and the Far East. However, their appearance in the Arctic and Antarctica is excluded.

Frog family, species for the terrarium

There are several types of them that get along well in a terrarium. Conditions for caring for them depend on the variety. Let's consider some of them.

Bright-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis)

There are 8 species of tree frogs belonging to the genus Bright-eyed tree frogs, and the red-eyed tree frog is one of them. It reaches a length of 7.5 cm. Living in nature, it prefers to live on the middle or upper tiers of trees. The main color of the green color allows it to perfectly camouflage among the leaves. The bases of the paws and sides of the frog are blue with a yellow pattern, the fingers are orange.
hallmark of this species are red eyes. This species eats various natural inhabitants such as insects, small lizards, arachnids, etc. Their breeding season can last throughout the year - this is due to the habitat in the tropics.

Important! Do not place sharp objects or heating elements in the cage because the frog may be injured. If this happens, it is necessary to treat the wound with a solution of dioxidine and streptocide.

To keep tree frogs at home, you can pick up a small terrarium and plant it with vines and other non-thorny plants. Humidity conditions above 75% and temperatures of 30°C should be adhered to. For lighting conditions, it is better to choose fluorescent lamps. You can feed the frog with flies, crickets and other insects. In addition, you can offer the animal a mouse or a small reptile.

Tree frogs (Hyla): Blue tree frog (Hyla cinerea)

The blue tree frog reaches a length of 4-5 cm. Living in nature, it prefers to live on the shore of a reservoir, as well as in shrubs and near coastal grass thickets. The main color is grassy green. The back and belly of the animal are separated by a bright white stripe starting from the middle of the frog's muzzle. In males, the throat sac is especially developed, and rounded suction cups are located on the tips of the legs, the hind legs have small membranes. This species, like the rest, prefers to eat insects, as well as lizards and arachnids.

Did you know? The Goliath frog is considered the largest frog in the world, its weight reaches 3 kg, and its height is 90 cm.

For keeping blue tree frogs at home, a vertical terrarium is suitable. You can equip it with the help of living plants and a relief background made of plastic or tree bark. It is necessary to set the air temperature in it at 20-25 ° C and create conditions for high humidity, as well as organize a capacious drinker. Group keeping is acceptable for this type of frog.

Australian tree frogs (Litoria)

The Australian tree frog is one of the largest tree frogs. It reaches 15 cm in length, but males can be 7 cm smaller. Although males are smaller in size than females, they have pronounced musculature, and the so-called “nuptial callus”, which has a dark color, flaunts on the forelimbs. This amphibian is accustomed to living in both dry and humid environments, but it prefers the forest lowlands. Its extravagant color can change color scheme adapting to the background environment. So, in the daytime, the Australian tree frog can change color to black.
The appearance has distinctive features in the form of small white or golden spots, the throat and belly are pink or white. The main color of the color varies from bright to dark shades of green. In addition, there are both turquoise and brown colors. Let us describe in more detail the elements of color and physiology of an amphibian. Inner side his hips are painted in crimson hues, and white spots with a dark border are visible on the shoulder and sides. As a rule, the voice of this frog can be heard from April to September. And you can see that the voice of the female sounds more piercing than the male.

The skin of a tree frog is able to be covered with a special wax coating that prevents drying out during the heat. Moisture reserves are accumulated in free-hanging folds. The functional features of dermatology do not end there. So, in a period of high humidity, the skin releases antibacterial substances with an antiviral effect. It contributes to the treatment of hypertension.

Did you know? Research scientists show that the Australian tree frog is able to regulate the amount of water that evaporates through its skin. This allows her to control temperature regime body.

Note that litoria reproduces in summer months during the rainy season. During this period, the male's nubile callus increases in size in order to be able to capture the female during intercourse. The spawning process takes several days. One clutch usually contains 150-300 eggs. Eggs reach sizes of 1.1-1.4 mm.
This species perfectly adapts to keeping at home, as it has a manual character. Frogs are not afraid of people and show round-the-clock activity, which can be regulated with the help of lighting. The amphibian feeds on moths, locusts, cockroaches and other insects. A frog can live 14-16 years. However, there is a case in California where a frog lived to be 21 years old. It is necessary to spray the terrarium every day and moisten its bottom to recreate the humidity that is typical for the frog's natural habitat. As a floor covering, it is better to use expanded clay or coarse gravel. Wooden structures in the form of snags, which can be placed both vertically and horizontally, will not be superfluous.

West Indian tree frogs (Caribbean) (Osteopilus)

There are 8 species of tree frogs belonging to the Caribbean tree frog genus. They are kept in vertical terrariums, which can be decorated as you wish, using driftwood, creepers and other plants. Hygroscopic soil, coconut chips, sphagnum or ordinary earth are laid at the bottom. A layer of crushed bark will help keep the frog clean.
A spacious pond in the center of the terrarium will be most welcome for an amphibian. Optimum temperature is +22-24°C at night and up to +28°C - during the day. In the diet of the West Indian tree frog, insects should be present, among them crickets, mealworms, wax moth larvae and others.

Toad frogs (Phrynohyas)

This species lives in the rainforests of the Amazon, Brazil, off the coast of the Andes and is distinguished by an unusual ash-blue skin tone. Brown stripes, located on top of the main color, make it easy to mask in lichen, on plant and tree trunks, in grass and mud. Amphibians have a relief coating of a pearl shade. Their fingers are located freely and do not have membranes. The eyes are large, set wide apart and raised above the muzzle. The amphibian has a turquoise mucosa.
It lives in trees and feeds on Turkmen marble cockroaches, however, at home, you can limit yourself to cockroaches or other insects from a pet store. For adults, room temperature and keeping in a terrarium, the bottom of which is 5 cm filled with water, is quite suitable. In another way, these toads are called "harlequins" and "prisoners."

A frightened individual of this species is capable of leaving sticky mucus, which is distinguished by a pungent chemical odor - it causes a burning sensation when it enters the human mucosa. In this regard, it is advisable to follow the safety rules for contact with it and after that be sure to wash your hands. You can use regular gloves.

Phyllomedusa (Phyllomedusa)

Being one of the largest individuals representing the tree frog genus, it reaches the following sizes: the length of the male is 9-10 cm, the female is 11-12 cm. It lives in the Amazon, in northern Bolivia and in Brazil, in eastern Peru, in the southeast Colombia, Guyana. When choosing a habitat, this species has a preference for savannah and forests.

Important! Phyllomedusa venom can cause hallucinations and gastrointestinal upset.

If this species is kept in home terrarium its color becomes bright after 2 months. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 6-10 months.

Tree frog lifestyle

Tree frogs are nocturnal animals. So, during the daytime and during the period of drought, they sit on the underside of the leaves or sleep on the top of the trees. Due to the fact that their eyelids have the color of the main color, they are able to mask themselves during sleep. At night, bright red eyes are able to see prey better, so the amphibian begins its hunt at this time of day. Physically developed muscles allow him to make very long jumps and catch prey in a timely manner.
Despite the fact that the tree frog is a fairly active animal, swims well and has extraordinary acrobatic abilities, it mostly spends time in a stationary state. This is due to the functions of camouflage, because only by limiting your movements and having a suitable cover, you can merge with the environment. Some tree frogs, living in a cool area, can go underground, creating a dwelling for themselves in a hollow, under a stone, in a hole or at the bottom of a reservoir. However, during the active season, they get out.

There are several ways to keep frogs. The terrarium is the best option for this in the conditions of apartment living. You can choose a horizontal or vertical type, based on the type of amphibian that will live there. It should be placed against a wall to avoid direct sunlight.

Did you know? Sometimes the tree frog molts, shedding its skin and instantly eating it.

The terrarium must be equipped with a lid with ventilation. In addition, it must have fluorescent lamps.
To increase the temperature, you can use a special mat, which is mounted from the outside on the bottom of the container. At the same time, you should not occupy its entire area with a heating element in order to give the pet the opportunity to avoid overheating. It is extremely dangerous to place such a device inside the vessel!

Terrarium and decorations

Every owner of such unusual pet I would like to equip his home as comfortable and beautiful as possible. To begin with, soil is poured at the bottom of the tank and a reservoir is organized. A wooden snag found on the street is suitable as a vertical design, and if the size of the terrarium allows, then you can put a stump with a hollow in it.
In addition, one should not forget about the direct landscaping of the habitat. For this, creepers, grass, ferns and other plants are used. Such accessories can be purchased at a pet store or ordered online. Do not forget about regular cleaning of the glass and the contents of the pet's housing. This will help prevent the occurrence of diseases and improve living conditions.

Temperature

The tree frog loves warmth and moisture, so keeping it at a temperature of 20 to 30°C is necessary, depending on the type of individual and the time of day. You should not allow hypothermia or overheating of an amphibian: this can adversely affect his skin and vital processes.

Priming

For some elements of the terrarium decor, such as the floor, you can use ordinary earth, sand or gravel. A special substrate can also be bought at the store. Since the common tree frog prefers to sit on dry land, it needs to be moistened regularly.

Feeding tree frogs

The main diet consists of insects that fly or crawl around - a fly, a butterfly, a mosquito, a cockroach, a cricket, etc. In addition, it can also hunt aquatic life. This is facilitated by the sticky tip of the frog's long tongue. At home, it is necessary to give treats in the morning and in the evening.

Shared content with other residents

The main problem of joint keeping is that the inhabitants can eat each other. To avoid this, it is necessary to have species of the same size. In addition, the conditions of detention necessary for them must match.
Poisonous representatives should not be settled in the same housing with other species. Snakes will also be inappropriate, since caring for them is fundamentally different from caring for toads. But lizards, for example, get along well with frogs.

Breeding

To create the necessary conditions for reproduction, it is necessary to organize a reservoir with stagnant water, shrubs and tall plants. Males climb them and begin to sing mating songs. The female, as a rule, lays from 3 to 21 servings of eggs. From the age of 8 months, the frog is capable of reproduction and lays its eggs in the tops of tree stumps or in hollows. Future offspring are covered with a special shell. During the process, amphibians croak loudly.
After 12-15 hours, the beginning of the development of the embryos can be observed. A few days after that, they transform into tadpoles and start active movement. In this case, it is necessary to observe the density of their content. So, 1 tadpole should have 3-5 liters of water. Its temperature should be 24-26 ° C. You can feed tadpoles with cod liver, scalded nettles, as well as special food for aquarium fish. With abundant nutrition, they will grow quickly and already at the age of 1 month they will reach 3-4 cm.

Enemies

In conditions wildlife there are harsh laws of the food chain, so the tree frog can become the prey of some animals that live in the same area. So, snakes, lizards can be considered her enemies large sizes, birds, praying mantises, monitor lizards, pheasants, ducks, raccoons, storks, herons, badgers and others. Before you get such an unusual pet, you should think about arranging its housing, as well as organize it optimally. comfortable conditions for an amphibian. Subsequently, he will need regular nutrition, suitable lighting, humidity and other elements of maintenance.

tree frog or tree frog (woodweed) is a frog that belongs to the type of chordates, the class of amphibians (amphibians), the tailless order, the tree frog family (lat. Hylidae).

The family received its Latin name due to its unusual colorful appearance. The first researchers compared these unusual animals with beautiful tree nymphs, which was reflected in his verbal definition. Russian concept The “frog” appeared, apparently, due to the characteristic loud voice of an amphibian.

Tree frog (tree frog) - description, structure, characteristics.

Due to the fact that the frog family includes a huge number of species, the appearance of these amphibians is very diverse. Some tree frogs are characterized by a flattened body structure with paws that look like knotted twigs, other tree frogs have an outward resemblance to small frogs, and in others, the body is flabby, as if slightly blurred. However, a characteristic feature inherent in almost all species is the presence of peculiar suction discs on the fingertips, covered with a thin layer of mucus.

Due to the vacuum that forms under the surface of the disks as a result of the displacement of air from under them, the tailless tree frog easily moves not only along the trunks, branches and leaves of plants, but also along any smooth surface, including vertical ones. Large trees in the process of moving along steep planes can help themselves with the moist skin of the abdomen or throat. However, there are species of tree frogs with an underdeveloped ability to suck. It is compensated by the special structure of the fingers on the hind and fore limbs, resembling a human hand with a thumb extended. Such frogs slowly climb trees, alternately grabbing branches.

The color of tree frogs depends on the species and can be very diverse. Most of them have a camouflage color in green or brownish tones with various stains, which helps the frog to easily hide among twigs and leaves. However, there are species of tree frogs that have a bright color with contrasting stripes or spots.

The eyes of tree frogs are large and protrude slightly, thanks to which binocular coverage of the environment is achieved, allowing them to successfully hunt and jump from branch to branch. Most amphibians are characterized by horizontal pupils, although there are species in which they are located vertically.

Sexual dimorphism in treeworts is manifested in the difference in the size of males and females, which are much larger than males, and sometimes in color. In addition, the male tree frog has special body, called the throat bag, when inflated, it makes sounds.

Where does the tree frog (tree frog) live?

The distribution range of tree frogs captures temperate zone Europe, including Poland, the Netherlands, Norway and Lithuania, Belarus and Romania, central part Russia and Moldova, as well as Ukraine. Numerous tree frog species live in North and South America, China and Korea, Morocco, Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt, Turkey, Japan, Primorye and Australia. The habitat of these amphibians is humid tropical and subtropical forests, broad-leaved and mixed stands, as well as the coast of reservoirs or slow rivers, wetlands and overgrown ravines.

What do tree frogs (tree frogs) eat?

The food of tree frogs is varied: tree frogs feed on various, and, as well as and. Amphibians usually go hunting at night. They lie in wait for prey and trap it using their vision and long, sticky tongue.

Types of tree frogs (tree frogs) - photos and names.

The numerous family of tree frogs is divided into 3 subfamilies, which include more than 900 species. The most famous and interesting of them:

Subfamily Hylinae:

  • widespread along the coasts of shallow water bodies or slow rivers, in flooded ditches and wetlands in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. The size of an adult male tree frog does not exceed 1.9 cm, and females - 3.8 cm. The skin of the back and sides, covered with warts, is gray-brown in color with yellowish-green hues and dark spots of an indefinite shape. The belly of the tree frog is decorated with bright green or brown stripes, and on the elongated muzzle, a dark spot in the form of a triangle located between the eyes is clearly visible. The hind limbs of the amphibian are relatively short with long fingers connected by a swimming membrane. The sounds of the male tree frog during the breeding season are reminiscent of the knocking of small stones against each other. These amphibians lead an active daily lifestyle. In case of danger, they can jump up to 0.9 m high.

  • Cricket tree frog (lat.Acris gryllus) lives in the area North America near small reservoirs, wet ravines overgrown with dense grassy vegetation, as well as swampy streams and river sources. The skin of the tree frog, devoid of warts, is brown or gray-brown with dark, almost black spots, which are bordered by a light green rim. In females, a white spot on the neck is clearly visible. A distinctive feature of this type of tree frog is the ability to change color, adapting to the environment. The fingers of the long hind limbs of the frog are interconnected by a swimming membrane. The body length of adult females can reach 33 mm, and males - 29 mm. The lifespan of a cricket tree frog vivo rarely exceeds 1 year. Treeworts lead a solitary lifestyle, gathering in large clusters only during the breeding season. Due to the similarity of the frog's voice with the roulades of crickets, the name "cricket tree frog" appeared.

  • lives in tropical rainforests South America included in the ecological system of the Amazon basin. These frogs can be found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname, Peru, Guiana, as well as Ecuador and Bolivia. The size of the females of this species of frogs can be 5 cm, but the males have more modest dimensions. The head of a frog with large bulging eyes is slightly expanded compared to the elongated narrow body. Long fingers on the hind and fore limbs end in well-developed suckers. The color of the skin of the back and sides of the piebald tree frog is quite diverse and can be from greenish-brown to red with brown tint. On the main tone, patterns of white spots or stripes are clearly visible, creating characteristic mesh patterns. The belly of piebald tree frogs is painted in a bright red-orange color. Solitary individuals spend the bulk of their lives on trees, descending from them only during the breeding season. Pied tree frogs are most active during twilight and night hours.

  • lives in the forests and forest-steppes of Poland, the Netherlands, Belarus, Norway, Lithuania and Ukraine, the USA, Korea, Turkey and Japan, the states of northwestern Africa, China and Primorye. The sizes of adult female frogs reach 53 mm, males are slightly smaller. The grassy-green, brown, bluish or dark gray coloration of the back and sides of the tree frog can easily change in accordance with the basic color of the environment or due to the physiological state of the animal. The belly of the common tree frog is white or yellowish. The coloration of the back and abdomen is clearly separated by a dark stripe running along the sides of the body and head. Tree frogs spend ordinary daytime hours among the foliage of shrubs or trees, and at twilight and at night they hunt insects. AT natural conditions these frogs live no more than 12 years.

  • widely distributed in southern North America. Prefers tree or shrub thickets along the coast of natural and artificial reservoirs, as well as wet ravines or wetlands. The body of the frog is slender, with a triangular head. Its length in adult females can reach 60 mm. The eyes of a tree frog are medium in size, slightly protruding, golden brown in color, with vertical pupils. The smooth skin of the back is painted in a grassy green color and is separated from the beige abdomen by a thin white stripe. At the ends of the fingers of the hind and fore limbs of the frog there are suction cups, with the help of which the tree frog easily moves not only along the branches and leaves, but also on the surface of the earth. The amphibian leads a solitary lifestyle, gathering in large communities only during mating. Shows activity at night. The life expectancy of a frog in natural conditions can reach 6 years.

  • is a typical inhabitant of the forest thickets of North America. The length of the baggy body of a frog can reach 7 cm in females and 5 cm in males. The yellowish belly contrasts with the back, which is colored in green, on which the pattern formed by dark green spots is clearly visible. Finger suckers are quite large. The tree frog got its name from the barking sounds that male frogs make during the mating season. Most barking tree frogs spend their lives among the branches, high above the ground, however, there are individuals who prefer to live near water bodies. Amphibians are active at night, and during the day they sleep off, hiding in the hollow of a tree or on the ground under fallen bark. Barking tree frogs form short-term pairs only for the continuation of offspring. Under natural conditions, frogs live 7 years.

  • lives in mixed or deciduous forests of Mexico, Canada or the USA. Populations of these amphibians are noted near artificial or natural reservoirs and deep damp ravines. The sizes of frogs do not exceed 51 mm. The color of the wrinkled skin of the back can be either gray with a beige tint or green, and the belly can be white. On the back of the tree frog, a pattern in the form of an oblique cross of black stripes clearly appears, which borders barely noticeable spots of an indefinite shape. It is noteworthy that depending on the ambient temperature, humidity and season, the color of the changeable tree frog can vary greatly. The average life expectancy of changeable tree frogs does not exceed 6 years.

  • Cuban tree frog (lat.osteopilus septentrionalis) - This is the largest tree frog in the world. It lives in shrubs and woody thickets near water bodies. The distribution area includes the Bahamas and Cayman Islands, Cuba and the southern states of the United States. The average size of these frogs ranges from 11.5 to 12.5 cm, however, individual individuals can reach 15 cm in size, which makes them the largest tree frogs in the family. The color of the skin of the back, covered with tubercles, is slightly different in males and females. So, for females of tree frogs, beige or green tones are characteristic, and for males - brown. On the paws of the tree frog, transverse stripes of a lighter or darker color are visible. The suckers on the fingers are well developed. The Cuban tree frog hunts at night, sleeping during the day among the bushes.

Subfamily Australian tree frogs or litoria (lat. Pelodryadinae):

  • coral-fingered litoria or Australian white tree frog (lat.Litoria caerulea) lives in the subtropical forests of Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. Sizes of adult females reach 130 mm, while males rarely exceed 70 mm. The head of the Australian tree frog is short and broad, with large, bulging eyes with a horizontal pupil. The skin of the frog is colored in various shades of green, but can be chestnut or turquoise, with white or golden spots. The belly is colored pinkish or White color. The inside of the tree frog's legs may be red-brown in color. In addition to suction cups, amphibians have small membranes on their fingers. The Australian white tree frog is characterized by night image life. The life expectancy of coral-toed litorium in natural conditions can reach 20 years.

SubfamilyPhyllomedusinae:

  • lives on the upper tiers of low-lying and foothill wet rainforest Central and South America. The sizes of adult males rarely reach 5.4-5.6 cm, and females do not exceed 7.5 cm. The surface of the skin is smooth. The back of the frog is colored green, and the belly is cream or white. The sides and bases of the limbs are blue, with a distinct yellow pattern. The toes of tree-climbing limbs are bright orange and have suction pads. characteristic feature red-eyed tree frogs are red eyes with a vertical pupil. Despite its bright color, these tree frogs are not poisonous. They are most active at night. The maximum lifespan of the red-eyed tree frog in natural conditions does not exceed 5 years.

The world's largest and smallest tree frog (tree frog).

The smallest "forest nymphs" are Litoria microbelos with a body length of up to 16 mm and the tree frog Hyla emrichi (Dendropsophus minutus), which has a body size of only about 17 mm. It is noteworthy that this baby is capable of jumping up to 0.75 m in length, which is almost 50 times the length of its body.

The largest tree frog in the world is the Cuban tree frog (lat. Osteopilus septentrionalis), growing up to 150 mm.

In addition to the above types of tree frogs, there are a huge number of varieties of tree frogs, the color of which is simply amazing:

Chaka phyllomedusa Phyllomedusa sauvagii

She definitely deserves the title of princess. The tree frog, or tree frog, is a very cute creature of nature.

Frog tree frog - tree nymph

The tree frog is also called the tree frog. And in literal translation from Latin, she is called a beautiful tree nymph.


What it looks like, what it eats and where the tree frog lives

The beautiful tree frog has a green back with an emerald overflow and a belly of a milky color scheme. The stripe that runs along the sides can be black or gray-brown. These amazing animals are able to change their color depending on the weather: with a sharp cold snap top part tree nymph darkens. They differ in harmony unprecedented for frogs, and a significant part of their life passes in the crown of trees or shady bushes growing on the banks of reservoirs. The largest frog reaches a size of about 40 cm, but in European latitudes, small individuals up to 5-7 cm are more common.


These amazing amphibians move with equal dexterity in water bodies and on land. In addition, they are excellent at moving through trees: they climb and jump from branch to branch. But such a frog spends almost the whole day in a motionless position, merging with the foliage. At the fingertips of the woodworm there are formations that resemble suction pads. Thanks to this natural “tool”, she can long time to be held without effort on a smooth base (for example, on plastic or glass).

With the advent of darkness, the tree frog begins to hunt. Excellent night vision makes it easy to catch nimble flies and mosquitoes. Green eaters do not refuse caterpillars, ants and small beetles. A long sticky tongue helps to capture prey. If large food is caught, then tenacious front paws come to the rescue. And out of all types of frogs, only tree frogs can catch an insect during a jump and stay on a branch in time with the help of tenacious fingers.


For normal life, the tree frog definitely needs water procedures: she prefers to swim in the evening. This simple ceremony allows the liquid to penetrate the skin and restore balance in the body.


"Wintering" of the tree frog and its wonderful singing

In order to survive the winter cold, already in the middle of autumn, tree frogs begin to seek shelter: they climb into small hollows, cracks in the foundations of buildings, into root voids, less often burrow into the muddy bottom of slow-flowing reservoirs. After all, she needs a reliable shelter to survive the winter weather. These frogs wake up one of the first, and the males begin to wake up a week earlier than the females. In the absence of frost, already in mid-March, they enter their usual habitat.


The habitual way of moving along the branches for the red-eyed tree frog is walking on raised paws.

Green soloists loudly notify everyone about the beginning of spring.

Listen to the voice of the tree frog

Voiced and very loud singing is available to tree frogs thanks to special structure a resonator located in the throat (in most species of frogs, such resonators are located on the sides of the head).


During singing, the skin on the neck turns into a convex ball, and a loud sound resembles the usual quacking of ducklings, but with a higher pitch.


Notable singers are males, their distinguishing feature is the golden color of the jaw skin.


Keeping a tree frog at home

Experts say that the common tree frog takes root perfectly in comfortable terrariums.


Due to the bright coloring and elegance of the contours, they are always visible and aesthetically pleasing. The method of feeding is quite simple: the frog is quite satisfied with the bred fruit flies and varieties of flies.

800-1000 rub.

common tree frog (Hyla arborea)

Class - Amphibians

Squad - Tailless

Family - Tree frogs

Genus - Common tree frogs

Appearance

Size 35-45 mm, in Europe it reaches a length of up to 5 cm. The length of the lower leg is 2 times less than the distance from the cloacal opening to leading edge eyes. Common tree frog appearance similar to a small frog, with long and thin legs. Excellent climbs on smooth vertical surfaces, jumps and swims well. The eyes are large and expressive. The ends of the fingers of the tree frog are widened, with suction discs. Between the fingers of the hind limbs there are membranes. The skin on the back is smooth, on the ventral side coarse-grained. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed: males have a large resonator on the throat, marriage calluses on the first finger of the forelimbs. Painted tree frog from above bright green color, bottom in white-yellow. The top is separated from the bottom by a thin black strip forming a loop upwards in the groin area with a white border on the upper side. There is no dark spot under the eye. The coloration is very variable and depends on humidity, ambient temperature and the background on which the tree frog is located. in clear warm weather frogs are light green; in cool gloomy weather it becomes brown or dark gray; during hibernation become very dark; and spotted tree frogs come across among the forbs.

Habitat

Southern and Central Europe, northwestern Africa, Asia Minor, Caucasus. Subspecies live on the Amur, in China, Korea and Japan.

The tree frog lives in broad-leaved and mixed forests, shrubs, meadows, river valleys, reclamation canal banks, as well as in gardens and parks, vineyards and other types of anthropogenic landscapes. In the mountains it rises up to 1500 m above sea level.

In nature

It spends most of its life on trees, bushes or tall herbaceous plants, where it completely blends into the background on which it keeps, and it can be difficult to notice. It willingly inhabits the lower and middle tiers of the forest, while rising to a height of about 2 m. The common tree frog leads a predominantly twilight and nocturnal lifestyle. At dusk, it descends to the ground, bathes in dew or water and hunts. The day is spent motionless, attached to a leaf or simply to a tree trunk, grabbing prey flying by. For wandering through the trees, tree frogs have suction discs on their fingers, which hold them firmly on the smooth surface of leaves and tree trunks. With the help of these disks, tree frogs can climb up the wet surface of glass, and when resting on vertical surfaces, for reliability, stick to them with their abdomen.
In September - October they go for wintering in forest floor, moss, abandoned burrows, hollows, under heaps of stones, tree roots with deep entrances, in silt at the bottom of reservoirs. They wake up in April-May and gather in large numbers near water bodies. Spawning sites can be removed from wintering sites at a distance of 100 m to 10 km. 96% of the total diet is terrestrial food (fleas, nutcrackers, leaf beetles, caterpillars and orthoptera), including 15-20% of flying insects. When catching prey, the common tree frog throws out a long sticky tongue that hits the victim, and when capturing large prey, it pushes it into its mouth with the help of its front paws.

reproduction

Common tree frog spawns in stagnant, well-heated water bodies. It prefers more or less open areas with water bodies, the banks of which are densely bordered by grassy vegetation (for example, reeds and reeds), shrubs and trees.
Spawning begins when the water temperature in the reservoir rises to 13 "C. During the breeding season, males begin their concerts even before dawn and scream all night, guarding their territory and shouting warning rivals that it is already occupied. Females descend into the reservoir when it becomes very dark.Axillary amplexus.If there is no large reservoir in the neighborhood, tree frogs spawn in any hole filled with water.The female can use small accumulations of water to lay eggs in the axils of the leaves of some plants, in hollows, on wet areas of soil overgrown with moss, etc. If the eggs are laid outside the water, then the gelatinous shell of the eggs protects the eggs from drying out - with a lack of moisture, it becomes thicker, becoming covered with a film and preventing moisture from evaporating.
Caviar is deposited on the bottom of a reservoir or aquatic vegetation in dense lumps of a spherical shape. One female lays up to 800-1000 eggs in several portions within 2-3 days.
With the age of females, the number and size of eggs increases. For example, two-year-old tree frogs lay about 500 eggs (diameter about 1 mm), three-year-olds - about 800 eggs (diameter 1.2 mm), four-year-olds - about 1100 eggs (diameter 1.4 mm), and five-year-olds - more than 1300 (diameter 1.2 mm). 6 mm). Parents after spawning return to the trees.
The breeding season starts from the second half of March to mid-June. In the mountains, spawning is delayed by about a month. First, the males wake up, and after 6-8 days the females come out.
Puberty at the age of 3-4 years. The larvae hatch on the 9-10th day, 5-10 mm long (including the tail).
Frog caviar develops at the bottom of reservoirs. The tadpoles are light, yellowish, they are wide, the eyes are strongly shifted to the sides. The gill opening is on the left side of the body and points back and up, while the anus is on the right side. The caudal fin is high with a pointed end. On the upper lip The oral disc has two rows of denticles, the lower one has three. On the fourth day, the larvae develop short external gills. If the eggs were laid directly on wet ground, then the larvae hatch with underdeveloped gills or without them.
Hind limbs grow at the age of 50 days. Before metamorphosis, tadpoles are about 125% of the size of adults. Metamorphosis occurs after 3 months, when young tree frogs grow up to 45-50 mm in length.
There is evidence that the mortality of young tree frogs during the year reaches 34-95% (according to different authors). After metamorphosis, young tree frogs stay near water bodies for some time, and then go to wintering grounds. Life span 12 years.

Tree frogs need a vertical type (20 × 20 cm along the bottom and 50 cm in height), with a shallow reservoir (about 5-10 cm deep - they like to dive periodically) and dense vegetation (moisture-loving plants), plus aquarium plants in the very reservoir - underwater and floating on the surface of the water. At the bottom of the reservoir, you should put an aquarium and install a large stone - tree frogs will be happy to sit on it. It is possible to launch several snails into the reservoir - snails, for natural cleaning of the walls (they will feed on aquatic plants). It is better to build a door in a terrarium from above and not leave the top open - you are dealing with first-class climbers. It is convenient to launch crickets and flies through the top door and close it instantly. Otherwise, you will have to look for fugitives all over the room - both tree frogs and their food. You can use another type of terrarium - without plants in flowerpots, but with large quantity aquarium plants floating in the pond. 30 × 30 cm along the bottom, 40 cm high. In this case, water is poured up to half, large aquarium plants are installed and launched. Thus, tree frogs will also feel comfortable both in water and on land.

It is best to feed the animals with tweezers, especially if you have several tree frogs. You will not only be able to control the amount of food that each inhabitant of the terrarium receives, but also, if necessary, give certain doses of vitamins. first it is necessary to feed with vitamins for amphibians and then give the "filled" to the tree frogs. The diet of woodworms includes almost all invertebrates. At home, it is most convenient to feed them with cockroaches (but not neighbors, if any - they can be pickled), flies.

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