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Mediterranean Tree Frog

Hyla meridionalis

Learn more about Hyla meridionalis from the Encyclopedia of Life

Motril, Granada, Spain
By Francisco Mingorance
Almuñécar, Granada, Spain

These slender, long-legged amphibians are barely five inches long. Their claw-like fingers and toes, which end in adhesive disks, allow them to grip the undersides of slick, wet leaves. One of more than 300 species of arboreal frogs, the Mediterranean tree frog can be found throughout the sunny gardens, streams, and canals of southern France, Spanish Catalonia, southwestern Spain, and southern Portugal. They breed mainly in flooded fields and ponds. During mating season, their distinctive chorus begins at sunset and usually continues until the early hours of the morning. Most active at night, these frogs are not good climbers but get around most easily near the ground.

“Two different pictures of the same tree frog perched then leaping through the air were joined together using Adobe® Photoshop to compose a single image that artistically displays the acrobatic action of puddlejumping.” —FM

Nikon D3; 70-200mm lens; 1/250 sec at ƒ/22; ISO 200; 4 flashes; synchronized infrared barrier; tripod.