FrogsAustralian Green Tree Frog (Ranoidea caerulea) Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni) Desert Tree Frog (Litoria rubella) Desert Trilling Frog Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus) Main’s Frog Long-footed Frog (Cyclorana longipes) Motorbike Frog (Ranoidea moorei) Peron’s Tree Frog Spencer’s Burrowing Frog

The Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni, formerly Litoria gilleni), is found in a small region of Central Australia. It has a dark olive to bright lime green dorsal, with small cream to white spots and blotches. The spots distinguish the Centralian Tree Frog from the Australian Green Tree Frog.

Centralian Tree Frog (Litoria gilleni)
Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni), NT.

The frog can appear a bright green in water, then on leaving the water, it can darken to a dark olive green (see images). The under belly of the frog is cream to white.

The Centralian Tree Frogs are rarely seen during the day, being nocturnal they are only usually seen after dark. Despite its name, they are not necessarily found in trees, as here in Simpsons Gap they hide away under rocks and in rock crevasses, where there is a constant temperature of between 18º and 25º degrees.

Centralian Tree Frog (Litoria gilleni), Central Australia
Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni) at Simpsons Gap, Central Australia.

Common name
Centralian Tree Frog, Centralian Green Frog, Inland Green Tree Frog.

Size
Can reach a length of 8 cm in females. The male is smaller, up to about 6.2 cm.

Distribution and Habitat
The Centralian Tree Frog is found only in a small region of Central Australia mainly in rocky gorges with waterholes. During the day, they hide beneath boulders.

Call
A slow repeated barking sound.


  • Scientific Classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Amphibia
  • Order: Anura
  • Family: Hylidae
  • Genus: Ranoidea
  • Species: R. gilleni
  • Binomial name: Ranoidea gilleni

Footnote & References

  1. Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/517086-Ranoidea-gilleni

FrogsAustralian Green Tree Frog (Ranoidea caerulea) Centralian Tree Frog (Ranoidea gilleni) Desert Tree Frog (Litoria rubella) Desert Trilling Frog Great Barred Frog (Mixophyes fasciolatus) Main’s Frog Long-footed Frog (Cyclorana longipes) Motorbike Frog (Ranoidea moorei) Peron’s Tree Frog Spencer’s Burrowing Frog