This is a photograph of a juvenile American Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea) spotted by one of my classmates during a herpetology field trip in a low country wooded habitat. I was fascinated by this little guy's remarkable jumping ability as well as its ability to camouflage with its arboreal surroundings.
The American Green Tree Frog is a common backyard species across the American Southeast, and is also the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana. They are medium sized frogs that usually grow to about 6 inches long. Their dorsal body color fluctuates from a mild olive-yellowish green to a brighter lime green depending on the environmental temperature and their abdomen is usually some hue of yellowish-white. Most individuals have a white or yellow lateral stripe that varies in length. Like many other arboreal frogs, this tree frog has large toe pads to aid in climbing. These frogs prefer a low lying arboreal habitat and are often found in small ponds, large lakes, marshes, streams, as well as the occasional anthropogenic swimming pool. Their diet includes insects, snails, and spiders.
The American Green Tree Frog is a common backyard species across the American Southeast, and is also the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana. They are medium sized frogs that usually grow to about 6 inches long. Their dorsal body color fluctuates from a mild olive-yellowish green to a brighter lime green depending on the environmental temperature and their abdomen is usually some hue of yellowish-white. Most individuals have a white or yellow lateral stripe that varies in length. Like many other arboreal frogs, this tree frog has large toe pads to aid in climbing. These frogs prefer a low lying arboreal habitat and are often found in small ponds, large lakes, marshes, streams, as well as the occasional anthropogenic swimming pool. Their diet includes insects, snails, and spiders.
The American Green Tree Frog is a common pet because it requires little care and is distinct in its coloration and small size. Unlike many reptiles and amphibians, the American Green Tree Frog does not require artificial heating. They are easily frightened probably because of their size and like many other frog species are nocturnal. I wanted nothing more out of this lab field trip than to find a Tree Frog on my own merit. Even though I failed at this endeavor, I as well as the class was lucky enough to appreciate the liveliness and brightness of this young fellow. -Brian Levy
1 comment:
You mean 6 centimeters, right? (We silly Americans have a hard time with the metric system.)
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