Cuban Florida Tree Frogs
The cuban tree frog has been slowly invading the state of florida since its introduction to the florida keys in the 1920s.
Cuban florida tree frogs. Their feet have sticky pads on the toes that allow them to cling to many different surfaces. These frogs have rough warty skin with blotchy or mottled patterning. For more info read the cuban treefrog in florida and follow the links to cuban treefrog research and citizen science in the left hand menu on this page. The frog can be found from the florida keys to gainesville and jacksonville with sightings throughout florida s panhandle and beyond.
5 5 in note. They have been found in colors of grey white brown and even green. They were first spotted in the state of florida. The cuban tree frogs are invasive in nature.
Cuban tree frogs are the largest tree frogs in north america ranging from 2 to 5 5 inches or 5 to 12 7 cm in length. Cuban tree frogs are mostly gray brown or green with young frogs having more green coloration than adults. It was accidentally introduced into the florida keys in the 1920s and has become an increasing problem for our florida ecosystem and for humans. Cuban tree frogs are the largest tree frog species in north america.
While the cuban treefrog osteopilus septentrionalis is native to cuba the cayman islands and the bahamas it is an introduced species in florida. It was first recorded in miami in 1952 schwartz 1952 but had dispersed northward to central florida by the mid 1970s meshaka 1996. Cuban tree frogs may have spots that sometimes disappear depending on the environment. They vary in color from dark green to pale gray often changing color to match their environment.
Most likely this occurred when one hopped aboard a ship leaving the. These treefrogs were accidentally brought to florida in the 1920s probably as hitchhikers in cargo containers on ships. Though the frogs are native to cuba but they have been annoyingly migrating to nearby countries such as the united states. The cuban treefrog osteopilus septentrionalis is native to cuba the cayman islands and the bahamas.
They were accidentally brought into florida usa in the 1920s though they can be quite tough to identify because they have varieties of colors they appear in. The cuban treefrog is a large primarily mesophytic forest dwelling hylid of the west indies.