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Tree frog, in zoology, any individual of the family Hylidae. They are of small size, more elegant in form than the true frogs, of brighter colors, and more active habits. They feed on insects, which they pursue on the branches of shrubs and trees.
The European tree frog (Hyla arborea) is common in the middle and south of the continent, and ranges into Asia and the north of Africa. It becomes very noisy on the approach of rain, and is often kept in confinement as a kind of barometer.
The common tree frog of North America is Hyla versicolor , replaced in the south by the green tree frog , H. viridis. The spring peeper is widespread in the eastern United States.
The tree toad is a popular name for several of the Hylidae. Used without a qualifying epithet, it is equivalent to tree frog. With a qualifying epithet, it is limited to particular species. Hyla versi-color is the changeable tree toad , Trachycephalus lichenatus is the lichened , and T. marmoratus the marbled tree toad .
Taxonomy
The family of the tree frogs is subdivided in four subfamilies and 37-39 genera.
- Pelodryadinae (Austro-Papuan tree frogs)
- Cyclorana
- Litoria
- Nyctimystes
- Phyllomedusinae (Leaf frogs)
- Agalychnis
- Hylomantis
- Pachymedusa
- Phasmahyla
- Phrynomedusa
- Phyllomedusa
- Hemiphractinae
- Cryptobatrachus
- Flectonotus
- Gastrotheca
- Hemiphractus
- Stefania
- Hylinae
- Acris
- Anotheca
- Aparasphenodon
- Aplastodiscus
- Argenteohyla
- Corythomantis
- Duellmanohyla
- Hyla
- Lysapsus
- Nyctimantis
- Osteocephalus
- Osteopilus
- Phrynohyas
- Phyllodytes
- Plectrohyla
- Pseudacris
- Pseudis
- Pternohyla
- Ptychohyla
- Scarthyla
- Scinax
- Smilisca
- Sphaenorhynchus
- Tepuihyla
- Trachycephalus
- Triprion
- Xenohyla
External links
- This article incorporates text from the Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921).
