About Zhangixalus moltrechti (Boulenger, 1908)
Size
Zhangixalus moltrechti is a medium-sized tree frog. Females measure 5–6 cm (2.0–2.4 in) in snout-vent length, while males are slightly smaller at 3.6–4.2 cm (1.4–1.7 in).
External Body Features
Its finger and toe tips have well-developed discs, and its skin is smooth.
Dorsal Coloration
Most individuals are solid green overall, though a small number have a few white spots.
Ventral Coloration
The belly is white-yellow.
Limb and Iris Coloration
The hidden surfaces of its hind legs are red or orange and marked with black spots, and its iris is orange-red.
Habitat Range
This species is found in forests, orchards, and tea plantations at elevations ranging from 0 to 2500 meters above sea level.
Breeding Habitat
It breeds in standing water bodies, including ponds, pools, cisterns, and blocked roadside ditches.
Egg Laying and Tadpole Development
Females lay eggs in sheltered locations such as caves, under cover, or on plants near the water; after hatching, rain washes the tadpoles into the water.
Additional Breeding Habitats
It can also breed in pools within intermittent streams, potholes, and streamside pools.
Elevation-dependent Breeding Timing
Breeding timing varies by elevation: high-elevation populations around 2,000 m (6,600 ft) breed in spring and summer from April to September, low-elevation populations below 500 m (1,600 ft) breed from late autumn to early spring from October to March, and mid-elevation populations breed year-round with a peak in spring.
Nest Characteristics
Eggs are laid in foam nests positioned above water, attached to tree branches, bush branches, or walls.
Conservation Status
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies this frog as a species of least concern for extinction.
