The magnificent tree frog (''Ranoidea splendida''), also known as the splendid tree frog, is a species of

tree frog A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia suborder have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not clos ...

first described in 1977. It has a limited range, only occurring on the north-western coast of Australia in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

and the

Kimberley, Western Australia The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami deserts in the region of the Pilbara, and on ...

. It has a similar appearance to, and can be confused with, the closely related

White's tree frog The Australian green tree frog (''Ranoidea caerulea''/''Litoria caerulea''), also known as simply green tree frog in Australia, White's tree frog, or dumpy tree frog, is a species of tree frog native to Australia and New Guinea, with introdu ...

Description

The magnificent tree frog is a relatively large tree frog, with the males reaching a length ( SVL) of 10.4 cm (4.1 in) and the females 10.6 cm (4.2 in)."Litoria splendida (SVL = 118 m " They have olive to bright green dorsal surfaces with white ventral surfaces. The undersides of the feet and legs are bright yellow. Most specimens have white or

sulphur Sulfur (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphur (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling) is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundance of the chemical ...

-coloured dots on their backs, of varying densities. The older magnificent tree frogs can be distinguished from White's tree frogs by the presence of very large

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of some frogs (especially toads), and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known ...

s, which cover the entire top of their heads and droop over their tympana. The tympanum is large, almost the size of the eye, and partially obscured by the

. In July 2024, the first picture of a blue magnificent tree frog was published. It was spotted by chance in the Charnley River-Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary and captured for further study. The blue skin is caused by a mutation called axanthism which affects the yellow pigmentation leaving only the blue.

Ecology and behaviour

Magnificent tree frogs are native to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They are nocturnal and enter caves and rock crevices during the day. Much like the other large tree frogs in Australia, White's tree frog and the

giant tree frog The white-lipped tree frog (''Nyctimystes infrafrenatus'') is a species of frog in the subfamily Pelodryadinae. It is the world's largest tree frog (the Cuban tree frog reaches a similar maximum size) and is found in Australia. Other common n ...

, they inhabit areas near humans, and can be found around buildings and in toilets, showers, and water tanks. They are nocturnal, and will hunt and breed at night. Breeding probably takes place during the

wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...

. The male's call is very similar to that of White's tree frog, a deep "crawk-crawk-crawk" repeated many times. The breeding habits of the magnificent tree frog have not been extensively studied.

As a pet

It is kept as a pet; in Australia, this animal may be kept in captivity with the appropriate permit.

Gallery

Image:Splendid tree frog.jpg, Magnificent tree frog Image:Litoria_splendida_morphling.jpg, A juvenile before the development of large parotoid glands Image:Splendid tree frog 2.jpg Image:Splendid tree frog444.jpg

References

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Article Road: List of All Frog Breeds: Things You Can Do to Ensure Your Frog Has a Long, Happy and Healthy Life: Magnificent Tree Frog Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, New South Wales: Amphibian Keeper's Licence: Species Lists

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q996770 Ranoidea (genus) Amphibians of Western Australia Amphibians of the Northern Territory Amphibians described in 1977 Frogs of Australia Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN