Dark-eared treefrog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dark-eared treefrog |
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Rhacophorus macrotis Boulenger, 1891 |
The Polypedates macrotis, often called the dark-eared treefrog, is a type of tree frog. It's also known by other names like the Bongao tree frog or Baram whipping frog. This frog belongs to the family Rhacophoridae.
You can find this special frog in many places across Southeast Asia. It lives in the Malay Peninsula and Southern Thailand. It's also found on islands like Sumatra and Java in Indonesia, and on Borneo (which includes Brunei). Some parts of the Philippines are also home to this frog. It even lives on smaller islands within the Coral Triangle area.
The name "Bongao tree frog" comes from Bongao Island. This island is where a similar frog, Philautus montanus, was first found. That frog is now known to be the same as Polypedates macrotis. The name "Baram whipping frog" comes from the Baram district in Sarawak, East Malaysia. This is another place where the Polypedates macrotis was first discovered.
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About the Dark-Eared Treefrog
What Does the Dark-Eared Treefrog Look Like?
Male dark-eared treefrogs usually grow to be about 60 millimeters (about 2.4 inches) long. Females are a bit bigger, reaching about 85 millimeters (about 3.3 inches) in length. Even their Tadpoles can be quite long, up to 60 millimeters!
The frog's back, called the dorsum, is brown. It has a darker band that goes behind its eye. This band covers the frog's eardrum, which is called the tympanum. The band then gets thinner as it goes down the side of the frog's body.
The dark-eared treefrog looks a lot like another frog called Polypedates leucomystax. However, there are small differences in their colors and how their bodies are shaped.
How Do These Frogs Have Babies?
Polypedates macrotis frogs lay their eggs in special "foam nests." These nests are like bubbly masses. They attach these foam nests to leaves or small branches that hang over water. This water can be in places like ponds or ditches. When the tadpoles hatch, they drop right into the water below.
Where Do Dark-Eared Treefrogs Live?
Habitats of the Dark-Eared Treefrog
The dark-eared treefrog is quite common in the areas where it lives. You can find it in many parts of Thailand, including provinces like Nakhon Si Thammarat and Narathiwat. It's also widespread in Malaysia, in states such as Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak. In Indonesia, it lives in places like Sumatra and Java. It's also found in Brunei and on several islands in the Sulu Archipelago and western Philippines, like Palawan and Jolo.
These frogs like to live in old, untouched forests and at the edges of forests. They can also be found in places where people live, even in some big cities and towns! Adult frogs often stay near small streams, ponds, or even tiny puddles and small pools of water. They also like swamps and wet rainforests where water is dripping or trickling. Sometimes, they even live inside certain epiphytic plants, like ferns, where rainwater collects.
Gallery
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Polypedates macrotis - Khao Luang National Park
