Polka Dot Tree Frog

Polka-dot Tree Frog

The polka-dot tree frog, also known as the spotted tree frog, is a small frog. Typically around 1.2 inches long, they have light green coloration and small red spots and stripes. This is the first know amphibian to naturally fluoresce , glowing a bright green under ultra violet light.  The frogs skin contains a fluorescence molecules that absorb short wave lengths of light and re-emit them at longer wavelengths ,causing the bright green glow. Shockingly, their shine is about 18% as bright as the full moon.

You can find the polka dot tree frogs is found in various regions of South America, including Peru, Argentina, Bolivia , Columbia , Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana , Trinidad and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical forests, moist low land forests, as well as montane forests, swamps and fresh water marshes.

The life cycle of a tree frog, like most frogs, involves four stages: egg tadpole, froglet, and adult frog. Female frogs lay eggs that hatch into tadpoles . Tadpoles are born with a tail and no legs. They live in the water breathing with gills. As the tadpole grows, it develops front and rear legs and the tail starts to shrink. The froglet , now with fully developed legs and lungs , leaves the water and becomes an adult frog, capable of living on land. 

The polka-dot tree frog is nocturnal. During the day, they hide in vegetation or near the water while they conserve energy and avoid the heat and the light of the sun. Their thin, permeable skin is not water proof, so they need to stay hydrated and avoid excess heat exposure. Being nocturnal, these frogs are most active at dusk and night. They use this time to hunt for insects and small invertebrates. 

Polka-dot tree frogs are carnivores and very quick hunters. They use their sticky tongues to catch prey. Their toe pads help them climb in search of food. Their diet consists mostly of beetles, flies, spiders, ants and leafhoppers unless they’re in the tadpole stage, which then they eat algae, decaying vegetation and scavenge on dead earthworms and fish.

Polka-dot tree frogs have different predators. As adults ,predators include snakes, birds, and smaller mammals. As tadpoles, predators include wasps, aquatic spiders, shrimp and bats.