Green Tree Frog

Description:

This is a nighttime shot. Walked outside to take the washing off of the line and saw this gorgeous frog sitting atop the hot water tank. It was approximately 5 - 9 cm (1.97 - 3.54 inches) long. "A very large bright Green Tree Frog with a robust broad body and short limbs. The fingers and toes have very large expanded discs on the ends and the toes are fully webbed. A pair of large partoid glands extend back from the eye on to the shoulders." (Museum WA) It looks like something happened to the front foot but I wouldn't have a clue as to what that might have been. Green Tree Frogs are in the genus Litoria and frogs in this genus are distinguishable from other tree frogs by the presence of horizontal irises and the lack of pigmentation on the eyelids. (Wiki)

Habitat:

Sitting atop the hot water tank out the back. I would suggest that it hopped along some sand to get here or possibly it had been hiding underground waiting for dark.

Notes:

Here is some really nuts info I found!!!: "Green Tree Frogs sometimes sit beneath outside lights at night to catch insects that are attracted to the light, but they are also capable of taking larger prey on the ground, including mice. They have also been recorded catching bats around cave entrances." (Australian Museum) Wow!!! And here is some more interesting info I found: "Green Tree Frogs will wipe a waxy secretion over themselves to conserve moisture loss during the day. They also tuck in the limbs and lower the chin to minimise their surface area." (Museum WA) The skin secretions of the frog have antibacterial and antiviral properties that may prove useful in pharmaceutical preparations and which have rendered it relatively immune to the population declines being experienced by many species of amphibian. (Wiki) Further reference: http://australianmuseum.net.au/green-tre...