California Tree Frog

Pseudacris cadaverina

The California Tree Frog is a small, green frog that loves to hop around in wet places. They are great at climbing and can often be found resting on leaves or branches.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The California Tree Frog has warty, grey-brown to olive skin, often mottled with darker blotches, which helps it blend perfectly with its rocky surroundings. A distinct dark mask extends from its snout through its eye, making it visually different from many smoother-skinned tree frogs.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAmphibiaOrderAnuraFamilyHylidaeGenusPseudacris

California Tree Frog

Interesting facts

Baby California Tree Frogs, called tadpoles, munch on algae before transforming into bug-eating adults.

Their unique call sounds like a 'wrah-wrah-wrah,' a bit like sandpaper, not a typical frog 'ribbit'!

These tiny frogs can leap over 2 meters (6 feet) in a single bound, an incredible distance for their size!

Unlike many frogs, the California Tree Frog has bumpy, warty skin that helps it mimic the texture of stones.

Special abilities

California Tree Frogs have special adhesive toe pads that help them climb smooth rocks and plants, allowing them to escape predators and find high perches.

California Tree Frog can change its color and uses its warty skin to blend into rocks and bark, making it nearly invisible to hungry animals.

California Tree Frog can absorb water directly through its skin from damp surfaces, which helps them stay hydrated without needing to drink.

Measurements & details

Length: 2.5-5 cm
Weight: 0.002-0.01 kg
Lifespan: 5-9 years
Top Speed: 3.6 km/h
Clutch Size: 200-2000
Metamorphosis: 28-90 days

Diet & Feeding

These frogs are expert hunters, using their sticky tongues to snatch up small insects and spiders.

Age differences: Young tadpoles eat algae and plant matter in the water, while adult frogs eat insects and small invertebrates.

Primary Foods

Flies
Crickets
Small beetles
Spiders
Moths

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

eaten by

Two-striped Garter Snake

Thamnophis hammondii

A common native snake that hunts small amphibians.

eaten by

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Large wading bird that preys on frogs in shallow waters.

eaten by

American Bullfrog

Rana catesbeiana

Invasive frog that preys on smaller native amphibians.

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

Catches flies and other flying insects with its sticky tongue.

hunts

House Cricket

Gryllus domesticus

Actively ambushes crickets and other terrestrial invertebrates.

Traits

Arboreal

Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.

Camouflaged

Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Insectivorous

This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.