The White Jawed Frog (Polypedates leucomystax leucomystax) is an invasive species found throughout the Ryukyu Islands. I have photographed this introduced tree frog on Okinawa, Ie, Izena, Kume island.
- Scientific name: Polypedates leucomystax leucomystax
- Common name: White Jawed Frog
- Distribution: Okinawa, Kume, and Iheya and Ie Island.
- Habitat: Forest, farm fields, drainage ditches, and ponds
- Diet: Insects
- Average size: 45mm-70mm
- Color: Brown with a white line on the upper lip
White Jawed Frog © Shawn Miller
I often find these frogs hanging out on fences, concrete walls, farming buckets and other manmade structures. They usually stay up high to avoid the threat of snakes.
The White Jawed frog hunting © Shawn Miller
Sometimes habu snakes climb these fences in search of a meal. Majority of the time the snakes are unsuccessful.
Venomous Habu Snake © Shawn Miller
Tree frogs have the ability to inflate into a defensive posture, making themselves appear too large to eat.
Frog defensive posture © Shawn Miller
It is extremely rare to see snakes eating in the wild. If you catch this moment in nature consider yourself lucky.
Snake Predation © Shawn Miller
The breeding season in Okinawa stretches from May through August.
Mating pair Yanbaru forest © Shawn Miller
Mating fogs © Shawn Miller
They construct a foam nest above a still water source. The foam liquefies when the eggs are ready to hatch.
A cluster of mating frogs © Shawn Miller
Photographed on white for the Meet Your Neighbours Global Biodiversity Project. All images are used for awareness and educational purposes.
MYN Project Okinawa © Shawn Miller
My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands
This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature
Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.