European tree frog

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European tree frog
European tree frog (Hyla arborea)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Anura Family: Hylidae Genus: Hyla Species: H. arborea
Binomial name
Hyla arborea Linnaeus, 1758

The European tree frog is a small frog that can grow to a maximum length of 4.5 cm. Historically, tree frogs were used as barometers because they respond to approaching rain by croaking. They also croak in the breeding season, even when migrating to their mating pools. Depending on subspecies, temperature, humidity, and the frog's 'mood', skin color ranges from bright to olive green, grey, brown and yellow. The head is rounded, the lip drops strongly, the pupil has the shape of a horizontal ellipse and the eardrum is clearly recognizable.

Males can be distinguished from females by their browny-yellowy, large (folded) vocal sacs in the throat region. The amplexus is axillary (in the armpits). Both adult males and females reach sizes up to 30-40 mm, rarely longer than 45 mm. The smooth, shining, usually leaf-green back and the white-yellowish to grey belly are separated by a dark stripe on its flank reaching from the nostrils, over the eye and the eardrum, to the groin, contrasting the green, and forming a dark spot near the hips. The hind legs are much larger and stronger than the fore legs, enabling the frog to jump rapidly.

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