台北樹蛙（Taipei tree frog）

Description:

Dorsal coloration is green. These frogs are capable of metachrosis and can change color from dark brown to light green. Patterning varies, with some individuals having white, yellow, or blue spots. Ventral coloration is yellow, with some brown spots, and the abdomen is yellowish white. Inner thighs have some dark brown spotting. The iris is yellow (Liang and Wang 1978). Anterior and posterior of the thighs are yellow (Chou et al. 2007). This species can be distinguished from other Taiwanese Rhacophorus by the presence of a green supratympanic fold, along with the lack of palmar tubercles, the absence of black spots on the flank, and the absence of white spots on the dorsum (Lue et al. 1994).

Habitat:

Rhacophorus taipeianus is endemic to Taiwan. Distribution is limited to northern and central Taiwan in elevations under 1500m. Adult frogs usually live in forests on the lower branches of trees. During breeding season, they move to rice paddies and ponds near the forests (Yang and Lin 1988)

Notes:

Taipei tree frog has some distinct feature among frogs in Taiwan. It's mating season and behavior are really unique. They mate in winter, usually from November to February. Male frogs will dig a burrow beside ponds and stay in it. Then to attract female, he call inside it. Other frogs in Taiwan usually mate from summer to fall and they don't dig a hole. It's easy to hear their calls when winter comes but to find them is really hard. However this one in the photo is a unexpected one . I never met them out of mating season. Maybe he just want to walk around?