Blackboard Tree vs Cliffy Stream Frog

Alstonia scholaris compared with Craugastor rupinius

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blackboard Tree	Cliffy Stream Frog
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order	Gentianales (Gentianales)	Anura (Frogs & Toads)
Family	Apocynaceae	Craugastoridae
Genus	Alstonia	Craugastor
Species	Alstonia scholaris	Craugastor rupinius

Conservation Status

Blackboard Tree

LC — Least Concern

Cliffy Stream Frog

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blackboard Tree	Cliffy Stream Frog
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blackboard Tree

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests within the Oceanian biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Micronesia, Taiwan, and United States.

Cliffy Stream Frog

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

Found in Mexico.

Blackboard Tree

The Blackboard Tree (Alstonia scholaris) is a species in the genus Alstonia. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests within the Oceanian biogeographic realm.

Cliffy Stream Frog

The Cliffy Stream Frog, Litoria phyllochroa, is a small, slender tree frog in the family Hylidae endemic to southeastern Australia, occurring in New South Wales and Victoria. It inhabits fast-flowing, rocky streams in forested gorges, cliff-sided creek valleys, and the rocky stream courses of the Great Dividing Range and adjacent ranges. The species is well adapted to the rocky stream environment, clinging to moist cliff faces and boulders using enlarged toe pads and spending much of its time on wet, vertical surfaces near cascades and fast riffles. Adults are relatively small, typically 30–40 mm in length, and are greenish-brown above with a pale lateral stripe, blending into the rocky, mossy stream substrate. Males call from rocky perches near the water's edge, producing a repeated clicking or ticking call. The species breeds in fast-flowing sections of mountain streams, with tadpoles adapted to strong currents through enlarged oral suckers. Stream frogs in Australia have been severely affected by chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, which has driven many mountain stream species to extinction or severe decline. Litoria phyllochroa is currently listed as Least Concern but faces ongoing threats from disease, drought, and climate change affecting streamflow in the ranges.