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Dumpy Tree Frog

Dumpy Tree Frog
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Amphibia
Order : Anura
Family : Hylidae
Genus : Litoria
Species : caerulea

Length : 4in (10cm)

IUCN Status : Least Concern

I chose today's animal entirely based on one of its common names: Dumpy Tree Frog. Though they are also known as White's Tree Frog and the Australian Green Tree Frog, Dumpy seems completely appropriate. And amusing.

Dumpy Tree Frogs are found in Northern and Eastern Australia, and New Guinea, areas of the world that are rich which strange and amazing animals. They are one of the largest species of tree frog, and females often outsize the males. Like many members of their genus, their typically greenish-blue skin is able to change color, though only slightly.

Though they are typically found up in trees, Dumpy Tree Frogs can also live near numerous other water sources, including sinks and toilets. They feed off on insects and anything else they can fit in their mouths and swallow, since they have a limited ability to chew their food. These frogs have very few native predators, and can live as long as twenty years.

Dumpy Tree Frogs have been quite beneficial to science. Secretions from their body are being worked on as potential treatments for HIV, Staph Infections, Herpes, and High Blood Pressure!

Dumpy Tree Frogs are commonly kept as pets, and are considered a good starter frog for new owners, due to their laid back nature, long lifespan, resistance to disease, and ease of care.

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