Smilin' Tree Frog

by Debbie Portwood

Title

Smilin' Tree Frog

Artist

Debbie Portwood

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This happy little Green Tree Frog who seems to be actually smiling is hanging on the edge of a leaf. The background is full of early Autumn colors and set off his green color nicely. I have added a soft interesting texture for artistic appeal. Wonderful for any wall in your home or office or perhaps a greeting card. Many more wonderful works can be found in my various galleries, from photographs and photoart to digital creations and abstracts. Thanks for browsing, commenting and most of all for any purchases. Debbie Portwood :D.......................... ( Wikipedia - The American green tree frog, Hyla cinerea, is a common species of New World tree frog belonging to the genus Hyla. A common backyard species, it is popular as a pet, and is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana.....................Description - The frog is green, medium-sized, and up to 6 cm (2.5 in) long. Their bodies are usually green in shades ranging from bright yellowish-olive to lime green. The color can change depending on lighting or temperature. Small patches of gold or white may occur on the skin, and they may also have a white, pale yellow, or cream-colored lines running from their jaws or upper lips to their groins. They have smooth skin and large toe pads. Their abdomens are pale yellow to white. Males have wrinkled throats (indicating the vocal pouch) and are slightly smaller than females..............................Distribution and habita - .These frogs are found in the central and southeastern United States, with a geographic range from the Eastern Shore of Virginia to southeast Florida, with populations as far west as central Texas, and as far north as Maryland and Delaware. The frogs are considered monotypic, but clinal variation has been observed from Florida north along the Atlantic coastal plain. This possibly may be attributed "to the result of strong selection and/or drift. Green tree frogs "prefer habitats with plentiful floating vegetation, grasses, and cattails" and are often found in "small ponds, large lakes, marshes, and streams also can be found at night in a backyard swimming pool....................................................Behavior - Because these frogs are small and easily frightened, they often do not do well with frequent handling. Some specimens do seem to tolerate occasional handling, however, so handling frequency should be determined on an individual basis. The little frogs tend to be nocturnal, and in captivity they will be the most active once the lights are off. Males frequently call most of the year, especially after being misted in the tank...........................................Breeding - Most American green tree frog females breed once per year, but some have multiple clutches in a single mating season. In a Florida population, "advertisement calls of males were documented between March and September and pairs in amplexus were observed between April and August." In the Florida population, the average number of offspring in a single clutch was observed to be about 400 eggs. Eggs take between four and 14 days to hatch, with an average of five days. According to the Animal Diversity Web at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, "Female size was positively correlated with clutch size, but after the initial clutch, the number of eggs nearly always decreased." Breeding is known to be strongly influenced by day length, temperature, and precipitation." While "the relative influence of these factors is not well understood," it is known as the frogs generally breed following rainfall, and males call more frequently as temperature and day length increase. Some evidence demonstrates the length of the breeding season length is correlated with latitude, with season length decreasing as latitude increases due to temperature limitations. Males use a distinct advertisement call, "noticeably different than release or warning calls," to attract mates. Once a mate has been attracted, the pair begins amplexus, in which "the male tightly grasps onto the female to bring their cloacal openings close together for fertilization." Males are polygynous, generally seeking to mate with as many females as they can attract. American green tree frogs show no parental investment except for mating and egg-laying..................................................Feeding - American green tree frogs are insectivores, usually consuming flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects such as crickets. One study suggested the frog selects prey not by its size, but according to its activity level, with the most active prey being the most frequently eaten. The same study showed "nearly 90% of Hyla cinerea prey were actively pursued," with the other 10% being "insects walking or close enough to be snatched up by the frog's tongue."

Uploaded

October 1st, 2014

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