File:Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog (Litoria fallax) 2.jpg

Identified by Evan Pickett - thank you Evan.

Helen and I came across this pretty little tree frog, about 15mm long, while hunting for caterpillars. Helen, whose main area of expertise centres around butterflies and other invertebrates, identified its genus as litoria, but didn't know which one. When I looked it up, I could see why: there are about 150 different species, with new species being discovered each year.

Litoria, apparently, is a genus of Australasian tree frogs distinguishable from other tree frogs by the presence of horizontal irises, and no pigmentation of the eyelid. So far so good.

I was able to discount the Red-eyed Tree Frog, the Green-eyed Tree Frog, the Spotted-thighed Tree Frog, the Orange-thighed Tree Frog and the Sharp-snouted Tree Frog.

As we were at Woodford, near Brisbane, I was able to eliminate the Northern New Guinea Tree Frog, the Cape Melville Tree Frog and several others. In the absence of any sound while we were watching, I tentatively dismissed the Bleating Tree Frog, the Buzzing Tree Frog, the Whirring Tree Frog, the Growling Grass Frog and the Maniacal Cackle Frog. This only left over a hundred others.

After looking at pictures of tree frogs (something I've never really done much ) I've decided it might be a Pearson's Green Tree Frog (Litoria pearsoniana) for the following reasons:

Distribution: Rainforest creeks from north of Lismore, New South Wales to Kenilworth, Queensland.

Physical description: Size: Small, up to about 40mm. Colour: Green, with a head and shoulder stripe. Groin Colouration: None present. Tympanum: Distinct, brown in colour. (I have learnt a new word! This is the hearing organ of a frog, beside its eye. Just to put you off the scent, a tympanum can also be an architectural element located within an arch or pediment, or a circular, drum-like rack on which victims can be tortured.) Head stripe: Light brown with a thicker brown underline, passes through the tympanum. Belly: White or off-white.