Whistling Tree Frog

Scientific name: Litoria verreauxii

Updated

21/04/22
Read time

2 minutes

Verreaux's Tree Frog (Litoria verreauxii) — Image: Stephen Mahony
© Stephen Mahony

Fast Facts

Classification

Genus

Litoria

Species

verreauxii

Family

Hylidae

Order

Anura

Subclass

Lissamphibia

Subphylum

Vertebrata

Phylum

Chordata

Kingdom

Animalia
Size Range

3 cm

Description

A medium-sized species of frog reaching up to 3.5 cm in body length. It has a dark brown, light brown, or green back with two wide, brown, longitudinal stripes along the middle, starting between the eyes. There are sometimes dark brown patches on the side. There is a dark brown stripe from the tip of the snout to the arm, and a cream-coloured patch underneath the eye. The belly is white. The pupil is horizontal and the iris is gold. The front and back of the thighs are orange, and the groin is yellow with black spots. Fingers are unwebbed and toes are half-webbed, both with small discs.

Similar Species

It is divided into two subspecies, one of which is found only in the alpine regions of NSW, ACT, and VIC with green on the back, compared to the often brown subspecies found elsewhere. Looks similar to Litoria ewingii and Litoria paraewingi in its distribution, but both these species lack black spots in the groin.

Distribution

Found in southeast QLD, along the coast and ranges of NSW, the ACT and the eastern half of VIC.

Breeding Biology

Eggs are laid as small clusters attached to vegetation under the surface of the water in ponds and small dams. Tadpoles can reach a total length of 5 cm and are gold, dark brown, or nearly black in colour. They often swim in the mid-depths and surface areas of water bodies, and take three to four months to develop into frogs. Breeds during any time of the year.