Almost always, the common tree frog (Polypedates leucomystax) makes its way into houses looking for refuge in unlikely places. The common tree frog is not really that common compared to the more ubiquitous frogs that croak when the rains come. The tree frog can be encountered by people in unlikely places in their homes. They can be found in places which are dark, moist and elevated in homes: inside drawers, between the window panes, the back of wall clocks, laundry areas and on trees where its color blends easily. The common tree frog would spring high and land unpredictably to almost any surface firmly fixed because of its round tipped fingers that act like suction cups.

The intrusion of common tree frogs in houses means that their natural habitat has been disturbed or lost. It prefers wetlands and croak when the rains come.

Morphological Characteristics

The common tree frog is golden brown in with bands of greenish brown stripes running oblique its arms and legs, and longitudinally along its body. A characteristic feature is its round tipped finger that sticks on any surface it lands. It has black eyes that gets closed horizontally by a brown lid. Immediately behind the eyes is the eardrum, a membrane surrounded by a cartilage ring, that looks like a second eye. The biggest known tree frog is eight centimeters long (from tip of head to the anus). The common tree frog has extensive webbing between the toes indicating its propensity to swim.

Natural Habitat

Places frequented by tree frogs are ponds and wetlands. In Palawan, areas dominated by growths of bangkal (Nauclea orientalis) with some growths of hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata) and cogon (Imperata cylindrica) serve as natural habitat. Also, inyam (Antidesma ghaesembilla) are common in these places.

Biology and Distribution

Polypedates are known to breed all-year round. The common tree frog's call is a widely-spaced quack. The females deposit 100-400 eggs in oval-shaped foam nests and the larvae are opportunistic predators (Yorke 1983). 

Polypedates leucomystax occurs throughout northeast India and Bangladesh, it is marginal in Nepal, and possibly occurs in Bhutan. It also occurs in China and mainland southeast Asia, and is widespread throughout the Philippines. It is also present in Borneo, Mentawai, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Bali, Lombok, Natuna Islands, Anambas Islands, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Timor and is introduced to Papua. It is introduced to Japan and is found in Okinawajima, Tonakijima, Kurimajima, Miyakojima, Iejima, Iheyajima, Izenajima, Sesokojima and Yabuchijima. It has a wide altitudinal range as it is found up to 1,500m asl.

Status

The common tree frogs are obviously common, widely distributed and could tolerate humans in their habitat so they are not endangered.

References

Alcala, A. C., 1986. Guide to the Philippine Flora and Fauna. Quezon City: Natural Resources Management Center, Ministry of Natural Resources and University of the Philippines. 195 pp.

Arvin Diesmos, Angel Alcala, Rafe Brown, Leticia Afuang, Genevieve Gee, Jeet Sukumaran, Norsham Yaakob, Leong Tzi Ming, Yodchaiy Chuaynkern, Kumthorn Thirakhupt, Indraneil Das, Djoko Iskandar, Mumpuni, Robert Inger, Robert Stuebing, Paul Yambun, Maklarin Lakim 2004. Polypedates leucomystax. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. . Downloaded on 18 March 2011.

Herpwatch Philippines, 2009. Polypedates leucomystax. Retrieved on October 18, 2009 at https://www.herpwatch.org/species.shtml?species_id=402.

Yorke, C. (1983). “Survival of embryos and larvae of the frog Polypedates leucomystax in Malaysia.” Journal of Herpetology, 17 (3), 235-241. 

© 2012 August 18 Patrick A. Regoniel