Animal：Shocking colours of the red-eyed tree frog
【明報專訊】Imagine you can have all the colours of the rainbow on your body. How would you wear them? The red-eyed tree frog (紅眼樹蛙) may just be the right inspiration for your costume!
Hidden rainbows
Spreading a modest 5cm to 7cm in length, with females larger than males, the red-eyed tree frog is slender in figure and brilliant in outfit. Its huge eyes are, obviously, red and bulging with vertical pupils. Most of the upper part of its body is leafy green to dark green, flanked with beautiful highlights of blue or purple and separated by strokes of cream or yellow. Its dainty, half-webbed hands and feet are orange. So there go all the colours of the rainbow! And right, it has a white belly.
The red-eyed tree frog is active at night. During the day, it folds its limbs, closes its eyes and rests on a leaf, exposing only its green back as camouflage. Should a predator approach during the period, its big, red eyes would pop open, giving the predator quite a shock. This split second buys time for the frog to jump to safety. Also, some young frogs may be able to change their colour from green by day to purple or brown at night for better disguise.
Agile and clingy
Red-eyed tree frogs are mainly found in the tropical forests of lowlands and mountains of Central and South America. As long as there are trees near a pond, where they can breed, the frogs may thrive.
The suction cups on its toe pads allow the red-eyed tree frog to climb expertly, and cling onto branches, tree trunks, leaves and their undersides too – an excellent hideout from enemies, giving shade and shelter during the day. Hidden among the green foliage, it waits for small insects to come its way to prey on them.
Water for life
The red-eyed tree frog breeds during the wet season and looks for a pond or pool of water with vegetation hanging over it. The female carries the smaller male on her back. As mature eggs emerge, the male fertilises them and stays in position until all the eggs have been laid. In a single night, the female may lay several clutches of eggs of about 40 each, usually on a large leaf. Each egg is green in colour and wrapped in a clear jelly coat. Each clutch, in turn, is surrounded in more jelly which keeps it doubly moist.
The tadpoles fall into the water below as soon as they hatch. Those which do not make it to the water may live for up to 20 hours. Should rain come, they may be washed into the water. Otherwise, they may wiggle their way to the pool.
At the moment, the red-eyed tree frog is listed in Appendix II in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This means that although it is not threatened with extinction, international trade must be strictly regulated. Because of its lovely colours, the frog is prized in the pet trade. We could all help by saying no to buying this species as pets.
(Text and photos: Ocean Park Hong Kong)
[Smarties' Power English 第282期]
