frog ID

[varley]

Hi, I just moved to Penrith in western Sydney and found a heap of these frogs around the yard. Could someone please help ID them.

 

[Lachie3112]

Based off location I'd say they're Peron's Tree-frog (Litoria peronii).

 

[Chris82]

Perons Tree Frog or Emerald spotted tree frog, Litoria peronii. One of the most distinguishing features of this frog is its cross shaped pupil. These guys by day will often hide under bark high in trees, cracks and crevices. On dusk when they awaken you can often hear them jump to the ground from quite some height with a considerable splat sound, only to jump away unharmed to look for a mate or meal!

 

[varley]

Thanks guys. I looked up the perons tree frog and the description is almost perfect they do have cross shaped pupils but I would describe the call as more of a loud cricket rather than a cackle.

 

[Raymonde]

I am not so familiar with frogs around Sydney but i am fairly good at queensland frogs. I am not so sure that it is Litoria peronii, it certainly could be but they don't seem to have any spots on their back or yellow on the upper legs and arms. Having said that frogs can vary a lot in appearance therefore calls can be a more conclusive way of identifying them. Go to the Frogs of Australia website and listen to the calls for Litoria peroni, if they match then it definitely is that, if not try Litoria littlejohni as they have a very cricket like call. It is also possible your seeing one type of frog and hearing another type of frog. Anyway if you want to listen to the frog calls in your area here is a list of sydney frogs and most have a recording of the frog call http://frogs.org.au/frogs/ofNSW/Sydney

 

[Chris82]

I am not so familiar with frogs around Sydney but i am fairly good at queensland frogs. I am not so sure that it is Litoria peronii, it certainly could be but they don't seem to have any spots on their back or yellow on the upper legs and arms. Having said that frogs can vary a lot in appearance therefore calls can be a more conclusive way of identifying them. Go to the Frogs of Australia website and listen to the calls for Litoria peroni, if they match then it definitely is that, if not try Litoria littlejohni as they have a very cricket like call. It is also possible your seeing one type of frog and hearing another type of frog. Anyway if you want to listen to the frog calls in your area here is a list of sydney frogs and most have a recording of the frog call http://frogs.org.au/frogs/ofNSW/Sydney

If you look closely in photo 1 you can see the distinguishing feature of L. Peronii being the crucifix shaped pupil. As far as I'm aware only L. Tyleri has this shaped pupil also. Another feature also seen in photo 1 is the fine black line on the skin fold above the tympanum. Littlejohni does not have this. None of these pictures show the colours around the thigh or armpit, but peronii has bright yellow and black and littlejohni has bright reddish orange colours and obviously the calls are very different.

I hope this helps a little bit more to help you distinguish the two

 

[varley]

that's a great website raymonde but I wasn't able to listen to any calls on my phone. I witnessed one jump from about five metres up a eucalyptus tree to our driveway last night I'm not sure if that's common with the littlejohni frogs. I've taken some more phone maybe they're more clear.

 

[Bushman]

I agree that it looks most like a Peron's Tree Frog (Litoria peronii) due to the colouration, patterning, morphology, habits and location being all consistent with this species. As Chris mentions, the eyes are a distinguishing characteristic that separates this species from almost all others.

 

[GeckPhotographer]

It's definitely Lit. peronii. And anyone with L. littlejohni just in their yard, especially in such numbers they are detectable in summer (they are a winter breeder) is damned lucky, or better! They are not a cosmopolitan species like Peron's are.