Rhacophorus
Rhacophorus is a genus of frogs in the shrub frog family (Rhacophoridae) and the related Hylidae make up the true tree frogs. They are found in India, Japan, Madagascar, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Over 40 species are currently recognised.[1]
These frogs have long toes with strong webbing between them, enabling the animals to slow their fall to a glide, a form of arboreal locomotion known as parachuting.[2] They are, therefore, among the anurans commonly known as "flying frogs".
The present genus is closely related to Polypedates, which in former times was often included in Rhacophorus. Even today, it is not fully resolved in which of these genera "P." feae and the Chinese flying frog ("R." dennysi) properly belong, and the supposedly new species "P. pingbianensis" has turned out to be the same as R. duboisi.
These frogs lay their eggs in aerial foam nests; upon hatching, tadpoles drop to the water under the nest and complete their development there.[3][4]Some species like Rhacophorus kio will wrap this and cover this foam nest with leaves. [5]
The following is a partial phylogeny of Rhacophorus from Pyron & Wiens (2011).[8] Only nine species are included. Rhacophorus is a sister group of Polypedates.[8]
