By Don Abbey
Habitat
Wallace's flying frog inhabits tropical moist forests.
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest 
; rainforest .
Physical Description
Wallace's flying frog is a relatively small organism (15 - 20 mm) that possesses a distinct large eye. A tympanum membrane is located posterior to the eye. This anatomical feature serves as an eardrum to Rhacophorids as well as to other species of Anurans (Cogger and Zweifel, 1998). The color of the body is a shiny green with lighter yellow on the lateral sides as well as on the toe pads and snout. Wallace's flying frog is an arboreal amphibian that has a terminal segment of each finger and toe which is expanded into specialized toepads that allow these treefrogs to adhere to vertical surfaces. In addition to toepads flying frogs have huge, fully webbed hands and feet, also skin along the side of the body. These provide an increase in surface area so that when the limbs, fingers and toes are extended apart they allow the frogs to glide from high perches (Pakcenter 1999). The hindlimbs are relatively larger then the forelimbs and provide thrust upon jumping.
Reproduction
Before mating, the female produces a fluid that she beats into a foam with her hind legs. She then lays her eggs in this bubble nest, at the same time the male fertilizes the eggs with his sperm. The egg nest is then hung over a source of water. When the embryos inside the eggs have developed into tadpoles, the nest falls apart. The young fall into the water and begin life as tadpoles. It is important that the tadpoles don't drop onto dry surface, if so the tadpoles will simply dry out and die (Pakcenter 1999).
Behavior
Wallace's flying frog spends its time in the trees where it can glide in the air due to the adaptations of its extremely webbed feet and skin folds along side of the body.
The webbing of the feet and skin folds helps catch the air like a small sail thus giving the ability to glide. This species has the ability to glide up to 50 ft. Wallace's flying frog
makes a long, low final approach to the ground in order to slow down and make a smooth landing. Special bones help the frog snugly press the tiny suction pads on feet and toes against the surface of a tree, giving it a firm grip for landing.
Food Habits
The flying frog has a diet that consists of insects, and other small invertebrates (Wallace's 1999).
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Status Unknown
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Status Unknown
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Least Concern.
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For More Information
Find Rhacophorus nigropalmatus information at
Contributors
Don Abbey (author), Michigan State University.
James Harding 
(editor), Michigan State University.
