Litoria genimaculata

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. Belonging to the kingdom Animalia, the green-eyed tree frog belongs to the phylum Chordata, the class Amphibia, the order Anura, the family Hylidae, and the genus Litoria. Their diet is carnivorous. Australia is home to almost 230 species of frogs who mainly live in Queensland, 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. 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. Frogs are born with legs that are good for hopping and special pads on their toes to help them climb. In comparison, toads have shorter legs, drier skin, and are less likely to live near water. Most frogs and toads are responsible for controlling the Earth's insect population, since their diet consists mostly of insects and spiders. However, the green eyed-tree frog is also a carnivore. As a tadpole, the frogs mostly consume algae and plants. Frogs have a moist and permeable skin layer covered with mucous glands, which enables them to breathe through their skin, not just their lungs. The layer of mucus that covers them also acts as a shield, protecting them from scratches. The reason frogs have large and protruding eyes is to make up for their lack of a neck. This eye feature allows them to see everything around them. The color scheme of the green-eyed tree frog is to camouflage them from predators. Frogs with bright colors are alerting predators of their poisonous nature. Described as Hyla serrata by Andersson in 1916, this species was subsequently brought into synonymy with Litoria genimaculata. In 2010, it was removed from synonymy and is regarded as a separate species from its New Guinea congener. The specific epithet, serrata, refers to the serrated skin flaps that are located along its legs. Coloration is variable. While dark spotting appears to be found on the bottom of all adult green-eyed tree frogs, colors range from bright green to brassy on their upper bodies. The green-eyed tree frog gets its name from the green coloration of the iris.