The Green Tree Frog is large and spectacular frog that is well known to many Australians. It is still relatively common in northern Australia and some areas of eastern Australia, particularly the inland farming regions. Like a number of other frog species in eastern Australia it appears to have undergone a decline in some parts of its range. However, because of the species long life-span this decline was not immediately apparent as adult frogs were still regularly seen. The Green Tree Frog has large expanded discs on the digits typical of a true tree-dwelling species, and as the common name suggests is bright green in colour. However, the scientific name caerulea is Latin for blue, and was the colour of the preserved specimen, which arrived back in England and from which the species was described in 1790. The original green colour changing to blue when the specimen was placed into alcohol preservative.