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The American green tree frog (Hyla cinerea) is a common species of New World tree frog belonging to the genus Hyla. It is a popular species of pet frog.
Habitat
The habitat of American green tree frogs is usually near lakes, farm ponds, floodplain sloughs, cattail marshes, or bald cypress swamps. They inhabit the southern United States and some areas to the north and west, including all of Florida, southern Georgia, Louisiana, Delaware, eastern Maryland and Virginia, eastern North and South Carolina, eastern Texas, and areas extending along the Mississippi Valley to southern Illinois. They may possibly inhabit northeastern Mexico.
This is a common backyard species that can often be seen at porch
lights, where they may gather to look for insects to eat. During the
day, the green tree frogs may be found resting on the plants beside the
pond.
Characteristics
The frog is medium-sized, up to 6 cm (2.5 inches). Their bodies are
usually colored green with shades ranging from bright yellowish olive
to lime green. The darkness of the color can change depending on
lighting or temperature. There may be some small patches of gold or
white. They may also have a white, pale yellow, or cream-colored line
running from the jaw or upper lip to the groin. They have smooth skin and large toe pads. The abdomen is pale yellow to white. Males have wrinkled throats (indicating the vocal pouch) and are slightly smaller than females. Like most frogs, they eat a diet of insects (mostly crickets, moths, and flies) and other small invertebrates.
The mating season takes place from mid-April to mid-August. Females lay up to 400 eggs in shallow water, which attach to the roots of aquatic plants. Embryos hatch within a week and tadpoles
transform between 55 to 63 days after hatching. Weather conditions
influence breeding, which often takes place in rain. Indeed, the frogs
often seen during and after a rainstorm.
Tadpoles in captivity eat boiled vegetables, such as cucumbers or lettuce. [1]
As pets and as state amphibian
The American green tree frog is available in most pet stores and
cost between US$10-$20 each. They are relatively easy frogs to take
care of. They need a large (at least ten-gallon) terrarium and do well with bark, pebbles, or even paper towels on the floor of their terrarium.
The American green tree frog is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana.
References
- Hammerson & Hedges (2004). Hyla cinerea. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN
2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and
a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
- Betten, Jane. "Hyla cinerea (green treefrog)." Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. [2]
- "Green Treefrog, Hyla cinerea." Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Department of the Interior. [3]
External links
This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article American green tree frog; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You
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Amphibians 
