| Zhangixalus arboreus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Rhacophoridae |
| Genus: | Zhangixalus |
| Species: | Z. arboreus |
| Binomial name | |
| Zhangixalus arboreus (Okada & Kawano, 1924) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Zhangixalus arboreus, also known as the forest green tree frog and Kinugasa flying frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae endemic to Japan.
The natural habitats of Z. arboreus are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, freshwater marshes, and irrigated land. These small tree frogs spend their adult lives in trees and forests, and in breeding season gather around water sources to mate. They lay their eggs within a batch of sponge-like foam which is suspended from a tree branch, usually hanging over a pond, marsh, or slow-flowing stream. The tadpoles emerge from the eggs, wiggle their way out of the foam, and drop down into the water below. These batches of foam can often be seen hanging over ponds in the Japanese countryside in late spring. Sometimes the frogs mistakenly lay their eggs over inappropriate bodies of water, such as swimming pools, wells, or even buckets containing rainwater.
This species of tree frog is a rarely seen in the exotic pet trade, with the majority of these individuals being of wild-caught origin. Despite this, there has been an increase in the captive breeding of Zhangixalus arboreus for the pet trade in both Japan and South Korea. In 2023, Zhangixalus arboreus was captive bred for the first time in the UK by Gary Miller, head of Zoo at Sparsholt College.
References
- ↑ IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2021). "Zhangixalus arboreus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T58973A177226592. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T58973A177226592.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
External links
Media related to Rhacophorus arboreus at Wikimedia Commons