Green Creek Frog, Litoria phyllochroa

Detailed introduction

The Green Stream Frog is a small to medium-sized, multicolored frog native to Australia, commonly found in forest streams in the eastern coastal mountains. Most sources refer to it as * Litoria phyllochroa *, a typical stream-dwelling tree frog that is adept at moving among rocks, fallen leaves, and waterside vegetation.

Classification and nomenclature

• Common Chinese name: Green Stream Frog (based on the direct translation of the English "Green Stream Frog", the Chinese name is not yet completely standardized)

• English name: Green Stream Frog

• Scientific name: Litoria phyllochroa

• Family and genus: Tree frogs → Litoria

Appearance and Identification Features

The green stream frog is small in size and has a simple appearance, but it has typical characteristics of a stream frog:

• Size: Adults are generally about 3-5 cm long, with males being slightly smaller than females and generally slender.

• Back color: mostly olive green, grass green or brownish, sometimes slightly mottled or with light dark spots;

• Side stripes: From the tip of the snout through the eye to the tympanic membrane and side of the body, there are often obvious dark stripes, and the upper edge or surrounding area of ​​the stripes may be interspersed with light-colored or gold edges;

• The abdomen is mostly light-colored, white or pale yellow, and some individuals have fine cloud-like patterns on the throat or abdomen;

• Skin texture: The skin on the back is relatively smooth, with occasional small warts, and the glands on the sides of the body are not particularly prominent;

• Limbs and toes: The limbs are relatively long, the hind legs are well-developed, the toes have a certain degree of webbing, and the tips of the fingers and toes have small suction cups, which makes it easy to squat on slippery rocks and vegetation by the water.

Overall, the green stream frog gives the impression of being light-bodied and with understated colors that blend well with the valley environment. Its dark side stripes and translucent light-colored belly help it to be identified in the wild.

Distribution range and habitat

The green stream frog is a native species of the mountainous and hilly regions of eastern Australia .

• It is mainly distributed in the high-rainfall areas of eastern New South Wales and southeastern Queensland;

• They are commonly found in forest streams and humid canyons in coastal mountains and inland mountainous areas.

Habitat is closely related to streams:

• They typically live in clear, fast-flowing mountain streams, pools below waterfalls, and forest valleys;

• They inhabit the rocks, fallen trees, leaf litter, and riverside vegetation on both sides of the stream;

• They are sensitive to water quality and prefer relatively unpolluted natural valley environments with good vegetation.

Lifestyle

The green stream frog is a nocturnal frog that lives near water .

• During the day, they mostly hide under rocks, fallen trees, moss, and thick layers of fallen leaves to avoid strong sunlight and moisture evaporation;

• They move along both sides of the stream at dusk and night, often leaping between rock surfaces, bank vegetation, and shallow water areas;

• When threatened, they will quickly jump into the water or retreat along slippery rocks and vegetation.

Cry

The male green stream frog's call during the breeding season is clear and slightly short and rhythmic:

• The call is often described as a series of short "reek... reek" or "chirp" syllables;

• It is often found on stream banks, on top of rocks, or on vegetation close to the water surface;

• On rainy nights or when the stream's water level rises, multiple male frogs will form a chorus, their calls echoing through the canyon along with the sound of the stream.

feeding habits

Like most small tree frogs, the green stream frog primarily feeds on small invertebrates:

• Small flying insects, midges, moths, and other flying insects near the stream;

• Small beetles, ants, spiders, and other arthropods that inhabit rock crevices and vegetation;

• They occasionally prey on other small invertebrates.

They often perch on rocks or leaves, waiting for prey to approach before quickly extending their tongues to catch it.

Reproduction and Development

Green stream frog breeding is typically associated with the rainy season and rising stream water levels.

• The breeding season is concentrated in the warm, rainy months;

• Male frogs call out near streams and waterfall pools to attract female frogs;

• The eggs are laid in slow-moving areas of streams, shallow pools along streams, or small bodies of water connected to streams.

• Tadpoles mostly develop in slow-moving streams or pools, and are quite sensitive to water quality and dissolved oxygen.

• After the tadpoles complete their metamorphosis, they climb onto the shore and begin a lifestyle that mainly involves living near water and short-distance climbing.

Protecting the status quo and threats

In the IUCN Red List, the green stream frog ( Litoria phyllochroa ) is usually assessed as Least Concern (LC) , indicating that there is no evidence of a large-scale rapid decline in its overall population.

However, some threats still exist in certain areas:

• Deforestation and road construction have led to the fragmentation of valley habitats;

• Stream pollution, increased sediment, and pesticide inflow are affecting water quality;

• Climate change-induced extreme droughts or altered rainfall patterns can affect stream flow and reproductive success rates.

• Factors such as potential fungal amphibian diseases.

The key to protecting the green stream frog lies in maintaining clean mountain stream water quality and a well-maintained valley vegetation buffer zone, and reducing human interference with the forest stream ecosystem.