True or False - Eric Worrell Book

[FAY]

We have this book by Eric Worrell. It is called 'Things that Sting'.

Published 1976. Reprinted 1980,1983.

It says on page 21.

Quote
FROG
' Some frogs exude a whitish fluid from their skin if they are meddled with. This fluid can cause irritation. Green Tree Frogs are the only Australian frog which might be described as poisonous and it is not a real danger to man. But they have never been known to kill snakes which have not been quick enough when attempting to swallow the frog. Apparently the milky fluid kills snakes if the frog is held in their mouth for too long' end quote

On the left side of the pages is a picture of the cane toad and the Green Tree Frog.


Has anyone ever had an experience like this with GTF's?????

 

[Pike01]

Yes,but most frog eaters are able to handle it.

 

[JrFear]

nice picture!

 

[FAY]

Thanks for that Pike...I never knew that.

 

[slim6y]

But when a user posted the question: "Are green tree frogs poisonous?" on WikiAnswers the answer came back with:

NO, green tree frogs aren't deadly. I have two green tree frogs in a terrarium with anoles and toads. I have also touched one myself. I have not had a problem yet with one. The Cuban tree frogs are deadly and poison dart frogs are deadly. THE GREEN TREE FROGS ARE NOT DEADLY OR POISONOUS!!

I hope that covers the answer you require Fay

Now located on another site:
"Another poisonous frog is the common green tree frog. The common green tree frog is the best known frog in the Australian tropics. It is often found around human habitation such as in lavatories, bathrooms, down pipes and any other damp and shady place." shannonashley

Aren't poison dart frogs and GTF Litoria?

CSIRO published this:
CSIRO PUBLISHING - Wildlife Research

"Although Litoria dahlii is one of the most abundant frog species of floodplain habitats in tropical Australia, it is rarely eaten by snakes. Force-feeding trials showed that L. dahlii is highly toxic to snakes: ingestion of even a single large frog was potentially fatal for pythons (Liasis childreni and Liasis fuscus), colubrids (Dendrelaphispunctulatus and Stegonotus cucullatus) and elapids (Acanthophis praelongus and Demansia atra). Only one species, the keelback, Tropidonophis mairii (Colubridae), could consume these frogs without ill effects. Keelbacks were also the only snakes recorded to eat these frogs in the wild. The fact that these abundant tropical frogs are highly toxic to most snakes, and generally not eaten by them, suggests that the anurophagous snakes of the Australian tropics assess amphibian chemical defences before consuming their prey. Thus, these snakes may be better-able to deal with the invasion of cane toads, Bufo marinus, than has been generally supposed."

So - I am guessing that yes - these frogs are poisonous and you should not feed them to your snakes.

 

[Colin]

Aren't poison dart frogs and GTF Litoria?

I think green treen frogs are Litoria but poison dart frogs Dendrobates

 

[slim6y]

I think green treen frogs are Litoria but poison dart frogs Dendrobates

Ahhh, yep... that's right - I think i was thinking of something completely different - apologies.

However - it stands that Litoria dahlii is in fact poisonous!

And to add to this from Wikipedia:

"The Dahl's Aquatic Frog (Litoria dahlii) is a species of frog in the Hylidae family. It is endemic to Australia.

Its natural habitats are dry savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, and intermittent freshwater marshes.

Among the more unique traits of Dahl's aquatic frog is its ability to consume the eggs, tadpoles and young of the invasive and venomous cane toad with no apparent ill effect making it, perhaps, the only native Australian creature with a natural immunity to the cane toad's poison.[1] These observations, however, were made in captivity, but scientists believe there is no reason to suggest that such behaviour does not occur in the wild.[2]"

Apart from the incorrect use of the word venomous that's quite interesting!

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I think several, even many, Australian frogs are able to exude poisons from their skins, some animals cope OK, some not so well. I recall being told by someone from the Taronga breeding program that the iconic Corroboree Frog can kill snakes as quickly as a Cane Toad, and I know frogs of the genus Helioporus cover themselves in a sticky, white corrosive exudate when you handle them, and it's difficult to wash off. It can be extremely irritating to the eyes and hands if not removed.

J.