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Christy's tree frog facts for kids

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Christy's tree frog
Conservation status
Scientific classification

The Leptopelis christyi, also known as Christy's tree frog, is a type of frog. It belongs to a family of frogs called Arthroleptidae. These frogs are mostly found in parts of Africa. You can find them in eastern and northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. They also live in southern and western Uganda, and northwestern Tanzania. Scientists think they might also be in Burundi and Rwanda. There is even a group of these frogs in Cameroon and Gabon. The frog was named after Dr. Cuthbert Christy. He was a British army doctor who first collected this frog.

What Does Christy's Tree Frog Look Like?

Adult male Christy's tree frogs are about 36 to 41 millimeters long. That's about 1.4 to 1.6 inches. Adult females are a bit bigger. They measure about 55 to 62 millimeters long, which is about 2.2 to 2.4 inches.

Special Features

This frog has a large eardrum, called a tympanum. It's almost as big as its eye. The frog's back often has a dark shape. This shape looks like a triangle pointing towards its head. Many of these frogs also have a light, wiggly line on their sides. Some Christy's tree frogs can even be green! Male frogs have special glands on their chest. When a male frog wants to attract a mate, it makes a simple, clear "clack" sound.

Where Does Christy's Tree Frog Live?

Christy's tree frogs live in different kinds of forests. They can be found in lowland forests and mountain forests. They also live in "gallery forests," which are forests along rivers. You might even find them in more open areas. These include places like savanna woodlands. They live at high places, from about 1,000 to 2,100 meters (3,300 to 6,900 feet) above sea level. They can even live in forests that have been changed by people.

Frog Homes and Habits

These frogs spend most of their time in trees. This is called being "arboreal." But when it's time to lay eggs, they do it on the ground. When it rains, the water washes the tiny baby frogs, called tadpoles, into nearby water.

Is This Frog Safe?

The Christy's tree frog is a common type of frog. It can adapt well to different places. Because of this, it is not facing any big dangers right now. You can find this frog in several protected areas. These include Kibale National Park in Uganda. It also lives in Virunga National Park and Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It probably lives in many other protected parks too.

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