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Tinea Versicolor, Pityriasis Versicolor, Tinea Versicolor Treatment -... bhamdermatology.com | Tinea Versicolor Treatment- Cause of Tinea Versicolor elanmedispa.com | Pityriasis versicolor (tinea versicolor, yeast infection). DermNet NZ dermnetnz.org | Tinea Versicolor pediatriccare.net |
The Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor), written more commonly as one word as Gray Treefrog, is a species of small arboreal frog native to much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada.[1] It is sometimes referred to as the Eastern Gray Treefrog or Common Gray Treefrog or Tetraploid Gray Treefrog in order to distinguish it from its more southern genetically disparate cousin, the Cope's Gray Treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis. It may sometimes be referred to as the North American Tree Frog by Europeans in order to distinguish it from their European Tree Frog, Hyla arborea.
[edit] Physical description As the species name Hyla versicolor implies, gray tree frogs are highly variable in color owing to their ability to camouflage themselves from gray to green, depending on the substrate they are sitting on. The degree of mottling varies. They can change from nearly black to nearly white. They change colors more slowly than a chameleon. Dead gray tree frogs and ones in unnatural surroundings are predominantly gray in color. They are relatively small compared to other North American frog species, typically attaining no more than 1.5 to 2 inches (4 cm to 5 cm) in length. Their skin has a lumpy texture to it, giving them a warty appearance. They are virtually indistinguishable from the Cope's Gray Tree Frog, Hyla chrysoscelis, the only readily noticeable difference being their calls. Cope's Gray Tree Frog has a shorter, faster call [2]. The Gray Tree Frog also has an extra set of chromosomes (4N), or 48 in total, and is called Tetraploid Gray Treefrog in scientific circles. The more southerly Cope's Gray Treefrog, or Diploid Gray Treefrog, retained its 2N (24) original chromosome set, so there is speculation of successful hybridization in the past. Both Hyla chrysoscelis and Hyla versicolor have bright yellow patches on the hind legs, which distinguishes them from other tree frogs, such as Hyla avivoca (Martof et al. 1980). The bright patches are normally only visible while the frog is jumping. Both species of Gray tree frogs are slightly sexually dimorphic. Males have black or gray throats, while the throat of the female is lighter (Tyning 1990). Tadpoles have a rounded body (as opposed to the more elongated bodies of stream species) with a high, wide tail that can be colored red if predators are in the system. Metamorphosis can occur in as little as 2 months with optimal conditions. At metamorphosis, the new froglets will almost always turn green for a day or two before changing to the more common gray. Young frogs will also sometimes maintain a light green color and turn gray or darker green after reaching adulthood. [edit] Geographic rangeGray Tree Frogs inhabit a wide range, and can be found in most of the eastern half of the United States, as far west as central Texas. They also range into Canada in the provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, with an isolated population in New Brunswick. [edit] In captivityWild caught gray treefrogs are frequently found in the pet trade. They make excellent, undemanding captives. A moderately humid vivarium of live plants is generally quite adequate to house them, along with a varied diet of commercially available crickets, small moths, caterpillars, mealworms, flies, spiders, other insects, and occasionally other small mammals. Be sure to provide a source of water for your tree frog or mist frequently to keep the skin moist. If skin is dry it could die off. These pets are common in and around the Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri region. [edit] BreedingBreeding occurs march to late July. When they breed it's usually in ponds, near trees and sometimes in shrubs. The males make a sound that is a usual call like a peep that will last for about 2 seconds. As soon as the female accepts the male she will give him a nudge and he will know to jump on her back and mate. They will lay about 2000 eggs. The eggs are very small and round, and grayish in color. They are attached in slippery clumps and covered in a jelly-like substance. In about 4 days, the eggs become clear and separated, and the teeny, black tadpoles can be seen inside. About 2 days later, they hatch. The tadpole struggles inside the egg and his tail whips around, then it squeezes out of the egg, swims around, and searches for food. During the next three weeks, the small tadpoles grow to be about a centimeter long and are a translucent creamy-brown color with tiny black eyes, and the shape of the head begins to form. In captivity, they can be fed crumbled, boiled lettuce, fish food pellets, and grass and other plants. However, some seeds (like the seeds of an iris flower) can kill a tadpole if eaten. At the end of the three weeks, the back legs start to grow into short stubs, and the tadpoles begin using them to swim. A few days later, their front legs begin to bulge and finish growing in about a day. In 4 days, the tails are gone, and a day after their front legs are grown, the frogs are a greenish-brownish gray color, and very fat and bulgy, with a smooth, slimy texture. A week later, they are gray, with a dry, bumpy texture and very sticky feet, with a yellow color on the underside of their back legs. [edit] Conservation
There are several environmental changes that affect Hyla versicolor, including ones that result from human land use and development. Studies indicate that Hyla versicolor is moderately tolerant of pH levels as low as 3.5. UV-B radiation does not affect egg and larvae survival, but does reduce swimming activity. 200 – Concentrations of 2,000 micro grams per liter of Atrazine, a globally used herbicide used against pre- and post-emergence broadleaf and grassy weeds in major crops, gave tadpoles 10% less body mass and were 5% shorter than normal water concentrations. The larval period also took 5% longer in the greater concentration. Carbaryl, also known as Sevis, is the third-most-used insecticide. By itself, it does not hurt things, but UV-B radiation photoenhances its toxicity, reducing swimming activity and killing 10% - 60% of the tadpoles exposed to weak concentrations of this chemical for long periods of time. If predatory cues were also present, it killed an even greater 60% - 98% of the tadpoles. They are very common in East Texas. They are both predators and prey. One of their largest predators is the north Texas bull frog. [edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
[edit] External links
[edit] References
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