Litoria peronii sightings - Frogwatch ACT and Region

Peron's Tree Frog, Emerald Spotted Tree Frog

Person’s Tree-frog (Litoria peronii) has many common names due to its colour variability and its distinctive a high-pitched cackle call. Amongst its common names are Emerald-spotted Tree-frog, Emerald-speckled Tree-frog, Laughing Tree-frog and Maniacal-cackle frog.

Male adult length: 44–53 mm, while females are 46–65 mm.

Current conservation status: Common

Family: Hylidae

Appearance: This species is relatively large, and has broad round toe discs, yellow and black mottling behind the back legs, and tiny emerald green flecks on the back, which increse in numbers with age.

It has the ability to change colour in less than one hour, which makes it one of the most variabley coloured frogs in Australia. It varies in shades of grey and brown, where its lightest is almost white.

An important diagnostic characteristic, and uncommon in the genus Litoria, is pupils which appear cross-shaped (the reader might observe this cross-shape in the eyes shown in some of the photos). This characteristic is only shared with Tyler’s tree frog within the Litoria genus.

Length: 50mm

Breeding: Males start calling in about September/October and continue until December.

Habitat: Quite common in farmland with dams and swamps, where there are scattered large eucalypt trees, or where woodland is still present. This is the most arboreal frog occuring in the region, and may be found climbing up trees or shrubs and is often reported climbing up on window pane to catch insects at night. During the day the species may shelter in tree hollows and any loose bark in deep fissures in dead timber. In drier regions individuals shelter in rainwater tanks.

Distribution: Quite common in areas of suitable farmland and wooded areas in the region below 900 m.

Biology: Males usually call from dead trees, partly submerged logs, clumbs of rushes and reeds and other elevated perches in the water or at its edge. The tadpoles are very active and have a slightly striped appearance in the water. They are quite secretive, instantly dropping to a deeper depth in the water if they are disturbed.

Call: A loud descending rattle or cackle. A shorter chuckling sound is also made. This frog is often referred to as the "maniacle cackling frog", because of its call.