The Seychelles tree frog Tachycnemis seychellensis is a large tree frog found on Mahe, Praslin, Silhouette and La Digue. This frog is endemic to Seychelles. It can be found in the coastal plateaus to high latitudes but it is perhaps most abundant in mid-altitude forests. It lives in disturbed and undisturbed forests, plantations, and highly modified habitats on the coastal plateaux (for example on La Digue). It seems to do particularly well in old plantations. It breeds in marshes, pools, and perhaps in slow and fast-moving streams.
The males are usually red-brown and the females are larger and green. The species is nocturnal and by day individuals rest on tree leaves becoming pale and waxy in colour.
Unlike the Sooglossids, the tree frog has an aquatic tadpole stage. Adults are active by night, the males calling from vegetation and rocks around suitable water bodies such as pools and streams, especially during the peak breeding season around December. Eggs are laid on vegetation above the water and, on hatching, the young tadpoles fall into water where they develop until metamorphosis.
Tree frogs have pads at the ends of their fingers and toes. These pads help in climbing because they are rough and are covered with a sticky secretion. Some tree frogs have claw-shaped fingers and toes, and most kinds have webbed hands, webbed feet, or both.
(Photo credit: Nature Seychelles)