Spotted-thighed frog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spotted-thighed frog |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ranoidea (genus)
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| Species: |
cyclorhynchus
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| Synonyms | |
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The spotted-thighed frog (Litoria cyclorhyncha), also called the spotted-thighed tree frog, is a type of tree frog. It originally comes from the southwestern part of Australia.
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What Does It Look Like?
Spotted-thighed frogs are usually dark green or brown. They have bright yellow spots on their backs. You can also see yellow spots on their legs. This frog looks a lot like its relative, the motorbike frog.
Where Do These Frogs Live?
These frogs are naturally found in southwestern Australia. However, by 2020, they had spread to southern Australia. People accidentally carried these frogs to new places. They have been seen in areas like Streaky Bay, the Eyre Peninsula, and even at the airport in Adelaide.
Why Is This Frog a Problem?
When an animal or plant moves to a new area and harms the local environment, it's called an invasive species. Scientists say the spotted-thighed frog is an invasive species in southern Australia. This is because it can eat many different kinds of food. It even eats mice and other frogs!
How It Harms Other Frogs
Because the spotted-thighed frog eats so much, it can be dangerous to the frogs that normally live in South Australia. It might eat all the food that native frogs need to survive. It can also eat the native frogs themselves. An ecologist named Christine Taylor said that this frog "will devour just about anything it can fit into its mouth." This means it's a very hungry frog that can cause big problems for the local wildlife.
