Tree frog facts for kids

Tree frogs are frogs that spend most of their lives in trees. They are amazing jumpers and climbers!

Even though many frogs live in trees, they don't all come from the same family. Different groups of frogs have developed similar features because they live in similar places. This is called convergent evolution. It means that animals that are not closely related can end up looking very much alike because they adapt to similar environments. Tree frogs often live in different parts of the world, suggesting their ancestors split up a very long time ago, even before the dinosaurs disappeared!

Most tree frogs stay in the trees. They usually only come down to the ground to find a partner and lay their eggs. Some even build special foam nests on leaves, so they don't have to leave the trees at all as adults. For some species, the eggs grow directly into tiny frogs. For others, the tadpoles live in small pools of water that collect in large tropical leaves.

Many tree frogs can change their skin color. This helps them blend in with their surroundings, like leaves or bark, for better camouflage. Other tree frogs, like the poison dart frogs, are poisonous. They have bright, bold colors to warn predators to stay away. This is called warning colouration.

Tree frogs are usually small and light. This is because their weight needs to be supported by thin branches and twigs in their habitat. While some can grow to about 10 cm (4 inches) or more, they are typically smaller and thinner than frogs that live on the ground.

A special feature of tree frogs is their well-developed sticky pads on their fingers and toes. Their fingers, toes, and limbs are often long, which helps them grip branches very well. One group, called Chiromantis, is extra special. They can hold two fingers against the other two, almost like using a vice grip!

Tree Frog Families

Tree frogs belong to several different families or genera. Here are some of the main ones:

• Hylidae, often called "true" tree frogs, live in temperate and tropical areas. You can find them in parts of Eurasia (north of the Himalayas), Australia, and the Americas.
• Rhacophoridae, or shrub frogs, are found in tropical regions around the Indian Ocean. This includes Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. A few also live in East Asia.
• Centrolenidae, or glass frogs, are amazing because their skin is so clear you can sometimes see their insides! These see-through frogs live in Central and South America.
• Hyperoliidae, known as reed frogs, are small frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa.
• Boophis is a group of frogs from Madagascar that live mostly in trees. They evolved from a group of frogs that live on the ground and can be poisonous.
• Pedostibes, also called tree toads, are a type of toad that lives high in trees. Most toads usually live on the ground, so these are quite unique!

Images for kids

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  A European tree frog

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  Ecnomiohyla rabborum, Rabbs' fringe-limbed treefrog. Only one living specimen is known to exist.

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  Big-eyed tree frog, Leptopelis vermiculatus

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  The golden dart frog, the most poisonous vertebrate on the planet

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  Red-eyed treefrog, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

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  Gray tree frog, Hyla versicolor, Hylidae, eastern North America

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  Common tree frog, Polypedates leucomystax, Rhacophoridae, southern to eastern Asia

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  Powdered glass frog, Cochranella pulverata, Centrolenidae, Honduras to Ecuador

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  White-lipped bright-eyed frog, Boophis albilabris, Mantellidae, Madagascar

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  Malabar tree toad, Pedostibes tuberculosus, Hyperoliidae, India

See also

In Spanish: Rana de árbol para niños