An Overview Of The White's Tree Frog

The first illustration of the Green Tree Frog (White's). Published in 1790.

The White's tree frog established it's name from the first person to collect a specimen and descibe it. It was back in the late 18th century (circa 1770), when John White, a member of a scientific team led by botanist Sir Joseph Banks, first descibed this newly discovered amphibian. The team accompanied the British explorer Captain James Cook on his voyage of exploration to Australia.

In 1790, White's work Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales was published. The journal descibed many of the curious plants and animals collected while in Australia. Upon discovering a new tree frog, White named it Rana caerulea. (Ruffly meaning "blue frog"). Most White's are a bright green in color, and it is speculated that White's specimen may have been inappropriatly named. Many researchers feel that White's specimen was placed in a preservative solution after death, and the yellow pigmentation in the frogs skin was absorbed into the solution. Thus turning the natural green of the specimen, to blue.

Photo taken from White's Tree Frogs by John Coborn

Super Kermit	At around 1880, the White's was tranfered to the genus (group) Hyla, and then to Litoria in 1971. Now, the scientific name for White's is Litoria caerulea. White's are also know as: White Dumpy (or just dumpy) Common Green Tree Frog (Australia) Giant Tree Frog (Australia)

White's are naturally found throughout the northeastern half of Australia. Ranging from central Victorian border area through most of New South Wales, all of Queensland, and across the northern half of the Northern Territory into northern Western Australia. Whites are more abundent in the wetter coastal areasin the eastern part of Australia. There is also an Idonesian strain of White's, which although has the same scientific name, varries slightly from the Australian. The Indonesian strain tends to be less colorfull (that is, less bright), and the supratympanic ridges tend to be much larger. There are now populations of White's living in New Zealand, but since they were introduced by man, they are not considered "native" to the area.

The White's are famous for the lustful appitite and fetstive plumpness. One thing to keep in mind, for a domesticated White's, is the need for exercise and a healthy diet. Offering a variety of food is a good option. While most domesticated White's are content with sticking their face in a pile of meal worms, it is a good idea to offer fiesty crickets, or an occasional moth to the tank. White's need exercise, and there is no better way than to add a moth to the tank, and watch a frog "on the prowl."

Offering foods like pinky and fuzzy mice are a treat for large White's, but they should not be used as a regular diet. The mice tend to be high in fat, and a high fat diet for a White's could be harmful.

.......more to come

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