Frogs of Australia

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Litoria spenceri

Spotted Tree Frog

Also: Spencer's River Tree Frog, Spencer's Tree Frog

Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri) Copyright David Hunter. Photograph by David Hunter.

+ 50 kb Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri)

Currently the subject of intense scientific study, this frog's distribution seems to be rapidly shrinking and it is regarded as endangered. Like Litoria aurea and Litoria raniformis it has been known to bask in open sunlight.

Distribution and habitat

Distribution map for Litoria spenceri

Adults inhabit wet gullies and streams in both wet and dry forest. Tadpoles can be found in moving water, in streams and streamside ponds.

There is a detailed distribution map available for: Victoria.

Life cycle

Life cycle for Litoria spenceri

Distinguishing characteristics

Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri) Copyright Graeme Gillespie. Photograph by Graeme Gillespie.

+ 66 kb Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri)

Adult length: 42-70mm.
Tadpoles are dark brown with black spots, the fins are flecked with brown. Adults have a warty back, an indistinct or hidden tympanum (ear) and are either green or brown, often spotted or flecked with green.

Visible features

Presented here is the information stored in the frogs.org.au database which is used to identify frogs based on their appearance. It is intended to be used in a key guide for separating species so some of the information (for example, back colours) may be rather non-specific. The system is currently being developed - if you notice errors in the data, please write to Dave Black at the address at the bottom of the page.

Important note: This information details only the appearance of the frog. If an "or" appears in the description, this may mean either that there is some variation within the species or that the feature might be observed differently by different people. For example, if a frog has very small toe pads, it may be listed as having "Toe pads: present or absent".

Size

Up to between 30mm and 60mm

Eyes, hands, and feet

Pupils: horizontal

Toe pads: present

Webbing on feet: half-webbing or full-webbing

Belly

Texture: smooth or rough

Pattern: plain

Colour: single colour

Back

Texture: smooth or rough or warty

Pattern: plain or spotted

Colour: single colour or multi-coloured

Glands and tubercles

Parotoid gland: absent

Tibial gland: absent

Metatarsal tubercles: Non-keratinised glands present (fleshy or uncoloured) or absent

Similar species (note: this version was written for Victorian species).

Litoria spenceri can be distinguished from Litoria nudidigitus by having a warty back. It can be distinguished from Litoria citropa by not possessing a distinct tympanum (ear).

Litoria spenceri image gallery

Tadpoles (larval stage)

Breeding activity

The scientific names of Litoria spenceri

  • Hyla maculata (Spencer 1901)
  • Litoria spenceri (Dubois 1984)
  • Litoria spenceri (Dubois 1984)

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