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grey foam-nest tree frog (Chiromantis xerampelina), or southern foam-nest tree frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. They are found in southern Africa.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, heavily degraded former forests, ponds, and canals and ditches.

Grey foam-nest tree frogs are known for simultaneous polyandry, where female frogs have multiple mates on separate territories that guard the eggs and care for young. This behavior is owed to their external fertilization mechanism. During the mating process, the female frog produces a foam nest, typically on branches that hang above bodies of water, in order to keep her eggs moist as they develop. This practice is what gives the grey foam-nest tree frogs their name.

Description
Grey foam-nest tree frogs are arboreal. Like other species in the genus Chiromantis, they have discs on their toes, and their outer two fingers are widely spaced and nearly at a right angle to their inner two fingers on each hand. The grey foam-nest tree frog typically has a snout length of 50–80 mm. Males have a snout-vent length of 43–75 mm, while females have a 60–90 mm snout-vent length.[2] They have relatively impermeable skin, which allows them to survive dry spells under tree detritus. Their skin is slightly bumpy and dry. Their coloration ranges between white and brown and changes in response to temperature (see adaptations below). They tend to turn white when they die.[3]

The grey foam-nest tree frog typically has a snout length of 50–80 mm. Males have a snout-vent length of 43–75 mm, while females have a 60–90 mm snout-vent length.[2]

Distribution and habitat
Grey foam-nest tree frogs usually reside in varying habitats, such as savannah, shrubland, forests, pastureland, and urban areas.[2] There have been mentions of these frogs living in Australia in addition to their native range in southern Africa.[4] They are considered habitat specialists, which refers to a species known to only breed in unsettled environments and unperturbed areas.[5]

Grey foam-nest tree frogs dislike arid conditions and need humidity to survive; however, they can still be found in dry environments such as: dry forests, miombo, mopane, savannah, and cultivated areas in low altitudes.[5] They are able to survive dry seasons under loose bark, hence why they are referred to as tree frogs.[4] Large rainstorms stimulate an increase in breeding from these frogs, because high humidity decreases egg mortality and improves survival across multiple stages of life. Habitat destruction and disturbance impacts breeding abilities of these frogs.[2]