today’s funky frog of the day is: litoria littlejohni! commonly known as littlejohn’s tree frogs, heath frogs, or orange-bellied tree frogs, they are native to eastern australia. they are medium-sized frogs that reach 2.4 inches in length, and they are normally brown or gray-brown in color with darker flecks and orange on their thighs. they can be observed in swamps, dams, creeks, and pools in heathland, woodland, and forest. males mostly call during the colder months with a “weep” sound, and around 60 eggs are laid at once. they feed on various insects, and their lifespan is unknown.

today’s funky frog of the day is: litoria ewingii! commonly known as southern brown tree frogs, brown tree frogs, whistling tree frogs, or ewing’s tree frogs, they are native to australia. they reach 1.8 inches in length, and they are dark brown or green. they are found in a wide range of habitats, including forests, farmland, heathland, semiarid areas, alpine regions, and suburban areas. males call with a “weep” sound, and eggs are usually wound around aquatic vegetation. these frogs have the unusual ability to freeze and survive, and their lifespan is unknown.

today’s funky frog of the day is: triadobatrachus massinoti! sometimes called proto-frogs, they are not necessarily frogs, but they closely resemble them and are the earliest known member of the frog lineage. fossils indicate that they lived as long as 250 million years ago on the land that is now madagascar, and they were relatively small compared to the larger frogs of today, growing only to an estimated 4 inches. they had at least 26 vertebrae, whereas modern frogs only have 4 to 9, and they had short tails resembling a frog in the tadpole stage. they could not jump, but they swam by kicking their hind legs, and their skulls closely resemble those of today’s frogs. there are no guesses at what their eating habits or life expectancy may have been.

today’s funky frog of the day is: hyalinobatrachium dianae! commonly known as diane’s bare-hearted glass frog, these recently-discovered frogs are endemic to costa rica. in 2015, the costa rican amphibian research center announced the discovery of these frogs, making them the 14th species of glass frog to be found in costa rica and the 159th overall. they recieved lots of media attention due to their resemblance to kermit, but they are unique for other reasons as well. like most glass frogs, you are able to see their heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract. their call is a long, metallic whistle, like that of an insect, and their dna is 12% divergent from even it’s nearest relative. (@reginalinettis)

today’s funky frog of the day is: scaphiophryne gottlebei! commonly known as the malagasy rainbow frog or rainbow burrowing frog, they are endemic to madagascar. they spend most of their time in small crevices or holes in rock walls, and they are very rarely seen outside their canyon habitat. although their bright, multicolored skin is what most people find unusual about these frogs, they are also adept in both burrowing and climbing, while most frogs can only do one, if either. they are often collected for pet trade, and due to this and habitat loss, they have become endangered.

today’s funky frog of the day is: lithobates septentrionalis! commonly known as the mink frog or north frog, they are native to the united states and canada. they are nicknamed after their scent which supposedly smells like a mink, or rotting onions. they are small frogs, ranging from 2 to 3 inches, and they are generally green in color. darker green and brown blotches are found on the back, and their bellies are cream, yellow, or white. as predominantly aquatic frogs, they are usually found in or around ponds, swamps, and streams. they have a diverse diet, including spiders, snails, beetles, and other invertebrates. mating takes place in late spring and early summer, and their lifespan is unknown.

today’s funky frog of the day is: breviceps gibbosus! commonly known as the cape rain frog or giant rain frog, they are endemic to south africa. they are the most common and largest of all the rain frogs, and they grow to around 45 millimeters in length. they inhabit shrubby vegetation, pastureland, rural gardens, and sometimes urban areas. they can even adapt well to suburban gardens, although they are threatened by herbicide poisons and domestic pets. they live underground, emerging just before it rains, and they feed on worms as small insects. during breeding season, around 20 eggs are laid, and their life expectancy is unknown.

today’s funky frog of the day is: limnodynastes tasmaniensis! commonly known as the spotted grass frog or spotted marsh frog, they are native to australia. they are small light brown to olive-green frogs, reaching around 1.7 inches in length. occasionally they can be found with cream, yellow, or orange stripes along their backs. this abundant species was one of the first ones to inhabit ditches and dams, and they are also found in ponds, flooded grassland, slow-moving creeks, farmland, woodland, and coastal areas. they are usually spotted underneath grass or some other form of cover, most likely near a water source. breeding occurs year-round, and their call sounds like a “tok” noise. their diet consists of flies, moths, crickets, and cockroaches. in australia, they can be kept as pets with the proper permit, and they will normally live around 5 years.

today’s funky frog of the day is: rhacophorus malabaricus! commonly known as the malabar gliding frog or malabar flying frog, they are endemic to india. they can make gliding jump of 9 to 12 meters long, which is 115 times their length. at 10 centimeters long, they are one of the largest frogs in their genus. they build foam nests above small pools of water, where the tadpoles will drop after hatching, and their call is described as a “trrr tik tik tik tik trrrr.” although they are not considered endangered, they are threatened by predators and habitat loss. they aren’t usually kept as pets, and it is unknown how long they live in the wild.

today’s courteous frog of the day is the llanos frog (Lepidobatrachus llanensis)!!!! this uncommon aquatic beast lives in dry scrubland. their eyes are also very soulful.

photo by Andres Ulibarrie