Litoria is a
genus of
hylidtree frogs, sometimes collectively referred to as Australasian treefrogs.
Description
The species within the genus Litoria are extremely variable in appearance, behaviour, and
habitat. The smallest species is the
javelin frog (L. microbelos), reaching a maximum snout–to–
vent length of 1.6 cm (0.6 in),[1][2] while the largest, the
giant tree frog (L. infrafrenata), reaches a size of 13.5–14 cm (5.3–5.5 in).
They are distinguishable from other tree frogs by the presence of horizontal irises, no pigmentation of the eyelids, and their distribution east and south from
Wallacea. Over one hundred
species are recognised and new species are still being added, such as the
Pinocchio frog discovered in 2008 and described in 2019.[3][4]
Distribution and habitat
The frogs are native to Australia, the
Bismarck Archipelago, the
Solomon Islands,
New Guinea, the
Lesser Sunda Islands, and the
Moluccan Islands. The appearance, behaviour and habitat of each species are usually linked. The small, dark-coloured frogs are generally terrestrial and never, or infrequently, climb. The larger green species are usually arboreal, with some only venturing to the ground to breed.
Species
While some former species have been moved to the genera Nyctimystes and Ranoidea, the following are recognised within the genus Litoria:[5]
^Richards, Stephen J.; Mumpuni, Mumpuni; Günther, Rainer; Oliver, Paul M. (2019-05-14). "Systematics of New Guinea treefrogs ( Litoria : Pelodryadidae) with erectile rostral spikes: an extended description of Litoria pronimia and a new species from the Foja Mountains". Zootaxa. 4604 (2): 335–348.
doi:
10.11646/zootaxa.4604.2.6.
ISSN1175-5334.
PMID31717193.
S2CID181852228.