Green-eyed Tree Frog

The Green-eyed Tree Frog

The green-eyed tree frog (Litoria serrata) is a species of Australasian treefrog in the family Hylidae that occurs in the Wet Tropics of Australia. It is a member of the Litoria eucnemis species-group, which occurs in New Guinea and north-eastern Australia. Litoria serrata was formerly synonymised with Litoria genimaculata, but this name is now reserved for a species in Papua New Guinea.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, intermittent freshwater marshes, rural gardens, and heavily degraded former forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and chytridiomycosis.

History

Australia is home to almost 230 species of frogs who mainly live in Queensland,  which is a tropical part of Australia. Thousands of years ago, green-eyed tree frogs separated in the northern and southern parts of Queensland and recently started breeding again. However, due to the separation, it is considered cross-breeding, since the species are so different now. Male green-eyed tree frogs from the Northern region in Australia, are rejected by female green-eyed tree frogs from the south. Their geographic separation has caused a change in mating calls, that continues to drive the two types of green-eyed tree frogs apart. If and when the females from the southern region decide to mate with the males from the north, they are re-productively disadvantaged. Their crossbreed offspring don't survive as long as the frogs whose parents breed with other frogs from the same region. Scientists now use the green-eyed tree frog in their studies of speciation and evolution due to the mating habits of the frogs in Australia.

Conservation

When it comes to monitoring the current population, the best method to use is a photographic identification model, since dorsal patterns of the green-eyed frog is not shown to change over time. To help conserve the green-eyed tree frog population, monitoring and awareness efforts have been increased and an exhibit was created at the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom. It will be important to keep monitoring the wild population as the species population declines further.

Habitat

The green-eyed tree frog's natural habitats are mainly subtropical, but can also include tropical lowland forests, as well as rivers and freshwater marshes. They are mainly located in the rain forests of Queensland, Australia, as well as Papua New Guinea and West Papua (Indonesia), and is very capable of blending in with its surroundings: including the moss that covers the rain forests of Queensland. Though their markings correspond with their habitat, their bodies are mostly brownish-green with blotches that are a rust color. Living near creeks and streams, their rust colored blotches tend to match the lichen covered rocks that line the bodies of water.

This particular frog is semi-aquatic. Though it mainly prefers dense wood, it also tends to like bodies of water located in clearings or pastures. Adults are also found to be quite active during the day, as well as at night.

Reason For Decline

Populations of the green-eyed tree frog are largely found in the region's lower elevations between 1,500 and 2,700 meters. It is currently unknown why they have disappeared from high altitude areas. Though the frogs have suffered some decline in past years, which can be blamed on a fungal disease, their numbers have come back stronger. The fungal disease that is believed to be the cause of a decline in the 1990s is called Chytridiomycosis.

An infectious disease that has affected amphibians worldwide, Chytridiomycosis is caused by a fungus that causes sporadic deaths in some amphibian populations, as well as 100% mortality rates in others. This fungus is known as the chytrid fungus. Scientists and researchers believe that this disease has been the main reason for many species extinctions and population decreases among frogs since the 1990s. The main origin of the disease, as well as its true impact are uncertain, but is being continually investigated. Although Chytridiomycosis can be very deadly, the disease is believed to be avoided when under natural and unstressed conditions. Declining species have been found to coexist with non-declining species, possibly due to their differences in behavior. There are other causes of population decline though, including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Not to mention, deformities in tadpoles have been linked to agricultural chemicals.

Role in Environment

Consumers because they cannot make their own food, so they need to eat/consume other plants and or animals. They feed mostly on insects, and prefer crickets, flies, grasshoppers and moths. Sometimes they will even eat smaller frogs. For tadpoles, fruit flies and pinhead crickets are the meals of choice.

5 Ways to Help

1. Spread awareness for deforestation

2. Donate money to help preserve their environments

3. Spread awareness for how these frogs are being killed for HIV testing

4. Never try to capture them with the intention of making one a pet

5. Take a trip to one of their locations to spread knowledge of their endangerment to locals