Banded bullfrog | |
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Calls of several banded bullfrogs | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Microhylidae |
Genus: | Kaloula |
Species: | K. pulchra |
Binomial name | |
Kaloula pulchra (Gray, 1831) | |
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The banded bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra) is a species of frog in the narrow-mouthed frog family Microhylidae. Native to Southeast Asia, it is also known as the Asian painted frog, digging frog, Malaysian bullfrog, common Asian frog, and painted balloon frog. In the pet trade, it is sometimes called the chubby frog. Adults measure 5.4 to 7.5 cm (2.1 to 3.0 in) and have a dark brown back with stripes that vary from copper-brown to salmon pink.
The banded bullfrog lives at low altitudes and is found in both urban and rural settings, as well as in forest habitats. They bury themselves underground during dry periods and emerge after heavy rainfall to emit calls and breed. They feed primarily on ants and termites; predators of adults and tadpoles include snakes, dragonfly larvae, and snails. When threatened, they inflate their lungs and secrete a noxious white substance. The species is prevalent in the pet trade and is a potential invasive species being introduced in Taiwan, the Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Borneo, and Sulawesi.
The banded bullfrog was first described in 1831 by the British zoologist John Edward Gray, as Kaloula pulchra ( pulchra meaning "beautiful" in Latin). [2] Cantor (1847) described the species under the name Hylaedactylus bivittatus, [3] which was synonymized with K. pulchra by Günther (1858). [4] The subspecies K. p. hainana was described by Gressitt (1938) as having a shorter snout and hind legs compared to the nominate subspecies, K. p. pulchra. [5] A former subspecies in Sri Lanka, originally named K. p. taprobanica by Parker (1934), has since been reclassified as a separate species, Uperodon taprobanicus . [6] Bourret (1942) described a subspecies K. p. macrocephala that is now considered by several authors to be a distinct species, K. macrocephala. [7] [8] [9]
According to Darrel Frost's Amphibian Species of the World, common names for Kaloula pulchra include the Malaysian narrowmouth toad, Asian painted frog, digging frog, painted bullfrog, Malaysian bullfrog, painted burrowing frog, common Asian bullfrog, painted balloon frog, and painted microhylid frog. [10] It is also known as the chubby frog in the pet trade. [11]
The banded bullfrog is medium-sized with a stocky, triangular body and a short snout. [12] [13] Males grow to a snout–vent length (SVL) of 5.4 to 7.0 cm (2.1 to 2.8 in) and females are slightly larger, reaching an SVL of 5.7 to 7.5 cm (2.2 to 3.0 in). Other than the slight difference in length, there is very limited sexual dimorphism. [14] They have a body weight of 80–120 g (2.8–4.2 oz). [15] The back is dark brown with stripes that vary from copper-brown to salmon pink, and the abdomen is cream-colored. [12] [16]
Tadpoles are about 0.5 cm (0.20 in) long after hatching and reach an SVL of about 1.1 cm (0.43 in) at the end of metamorphosis. They have an oval body that is brown or black with a pale belly, a round snout, and a moderately long, tapered tail with yellow speckles and tall fins. The eyes are relatively small and the side of the head, with black or dark gray irises and a golden ring around the pupil. They do not possess any tail filament. [17] During metamorphosis, their eyes increase in size and bulge and they develop slender limbs and digits with rounded tips. [18] The tadpoles metamorphose beginning at two weeks. [19]
The species is native to Southeast Asia. [20] It is common over a range from northeastern India, [21] and Nepal, [22] to southern India and Sri Lanka [22] to southern China [21] [22] (especially Hainan) and Myanmar, [22] and south to the islands of maritime Southeast Asia. [21] [23] [22] Its wide distribution, compared to the related species Kaloula assamensis , has been attributed to its burrowing ability. [24]
The banded bullfrog has been found at elevations between sea level and 750 m (2,460 ft) above sea level. [1] It can occur in both urban and rural settings, and in forest habitats. [25]
The banded bullfrog is a potential invasive species. It has been introduced through both the pet trade and maritime transport, and has become established in Taiwan, the Philippines, [26] Guam, [27] Singapore, Borneo, and Sulawesi. [22] [28] Some specimens have been observed in Australia and New Zealand. [28] [29] [30] Its introduction into the Philippines was likely accidental, via contamination of plant nursery materials or stowaways on ships and boats. [20]
Several species, likely introduced through the pet trade, were observed in Florida in 2006 and 2008; however, as of 2011, the population is under control and there is no evidence of reproduction. [31] The frog was observed at an airport in Perth, Australia, and at a cargo port in New Zealand, but no established invasive population has been found in either country as of 2019. [32]
Breeding is stimulated by heavy monsoon rains, after which the frogs relocate from underground to rain pools or ponds. [23] [33] They are more commonly found on wetter nights, and while they are not reproductively active during dry periods, their gonads remain ripe so that they can mate soon after rainfall. [33] In India, the male frogs call after the monsoon season begins in April or May. The pulses of the calls recorded in India were 28–56 per second with a frequency range of 50–1760 Hz. In Thailand the dominant frequency was 250 Hz (duration 560–600 ms long) and 18–21 pulses per call. [34]
Their form is suited for walking and burrowing rather than jumping. [35] They are able to survive dry conditions by burying themselves in the ground and waiting for rain; the burrowing also helps them avoid predators. When burrowing they dig their way down hindlimb first and use their forelimbs to push themselves several inches under the soil, where they can remain for the duration of the dry season. [18] [24] Banded bullfrogs hide under leaf litter during the daylight hours and eat in the evening. They have been found in trees and have been observed hunting termites in them. [36]
In the wild, the banded bullfrog primarily eats ants and termites. [36] It also feeds on other small invertebrates including flies, crickets, moths, grasshoppers, and earthworms. [37] Its relatively small head and mouth mostly limit its diet to small and slow-moving prey. [37] [38] The feeding cycle from opening of the mouth to closing is about 150 milliseconds and is relatively symmetrical, meaning that the bullfrog spends an equal amount of time extending its tongue and bringing the prey into the mouth. [39] Banded bullfrogs kept as pets can be fed insects such as crickets, mealworms, insect larvae, and beetles. [11]
Snakes such as the kukri snake are predators of adult banded bullfrogs. [25] For eggs and tadpoles, predators include dragonfly larvae and snails such as the golden apple snail. [40] [41] Banded bullfrogs display deimatic behaviour when threatened, greatly inflating their bodies in an attempt to distract or startle predators. [13] By inflating its body and bending its head down, the bullfrog can appear larger than its actual size. [24] It also secretes a noxious white substance through its skin that is distasteful, though non-toxic, to predators. [42] [43] The secretion contains a trypsin inhibitor and can induce hemolysis (rupturing of red blood cells). [15] [42]
Parasites include parasitic worms that have been found in the frog's intestinal mesentery and leeches that attach to the frog's back. [12] [44]
Commonly sold in pet stores, banded bullfrogs thrive in terrariums with substrate choices consisting of peat–soil mixes or moss mixtures. [11] [45] In contrast to the ant and termite diets of wild bullfrogs, captive bullfrogs typically feed on slightly larger insects such as crickets or mealworms. [11]
A survey of internet pet trade listings between 2015 and 2018 in Europe and the United States found that there were three to four times as many offers as requests for the banded bullfrog, with no evidence of captive breeding. [46] In the Philippines, traders collect the frogs locally. Low interest in the Philippine pet trade has been attributed to the bullfrog's muted colours and burrowing behavior. [47] Máximo and colleagues hypothesize that the species has been illegally sold in South America for decades, based on identifications in Argentina during the 1980s and in Brazil in 2020. [48]
The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species as least concern due to its extensive distribution, tolerance of a wide range of environments, and predicted large population. [1] In many regions, the banded bullfrog is captured for consumption, but this does not appear to have a substantial impact on its population. [1]
The American bullfrog, often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is a large true frog native to eastern North America. It typically inhabits large permanent water bodies such as swamps, ponds, and lakes. Bullfrogs can also be found in manmade habitats such as pools, koi ponds, canals, ditches and culverts. The bullfrog gets its name from the sound the male makes during the breeding season, which sounds similar to a bull bellowing. The bullfrog is large and is commonly eaten throughout its range, especially in the southern United States where they are plentiful.
The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family of frogs. The 683 species are in 57 genera and 11 subfamilies.
The Microhylinae are a subfamily of microhylid frogs. It contains 9 genera. Phylogenetic studies have estimated the family Microhylidae to be about 52 million years old.
Scaphiophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. Some of the species are strikingly marked, while others are highly cryptic. They are rather plump and generally found on the ground. Several species in the genus are threatened because of habitat loss and overcollection for the international pet trade.
Kaloula is a genus of microhylid frogs found in southern and eastern Asia. They are sometimes known as the Asian narrowmouth toads.
Microhyla, commonly known as the rice frogs or narrow-mouthed frogs, is a genus of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It consists of 42 species of diminutive frogs. Members of this genus are widespread from Ryukyu Is. in Japan, and throughout South-east Asia,.
Kaloula baleata, the flower pot toad or sometimes the smooth-fingered narrow-mouthed frog, is a species of narrow-mouthed toad. It is native to India, Borneo, Indochinese Peninsula, Java, Malay Peninsula and Philippines where it lives in lowland rainforests and is tolerant of disturbed sites. The IUCN lists it as being of "Least Concern".
Uperodon taprobanicus, also known as the Sri Lankan bullfrog, Sri Lankan painted frog, Sri Lankan kaloula, Ceylon kaloula, Indian painted frog, or painted globular frog, is a species of narrow-mouthed frog found in Nepal, Bangladesh, southern and eastern India, and Sri Lanka up to an altitude of about 1300 metres. It can grow to an adult length of up to 75 millimetres(7.5 cm) long from snout to vent. It was originally described as a subspecies of Kaloula pulchra, ssp. taprobanica. The IUCN lists it as being of "Least Concern".
Kaloula walteri is a species of frog in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is found in the mountains of southeastern Luzon Island and Polillo Island. The specific name walteri honors Walter C. Brown, an American herpetologist. Common name Walter's narrow-mouthed frog has been proposed for it. Kaloula walteri is most closely related to Kaloula rigida.
Phrynomantis microps is an African frog with many interesting adaptations to the savannah. These frogs are also called the Accra snake-necked frog. They are found across Western and Central Africa. One of its distinguishing features is the peptide secretion on its skin, which goes beyond toxicity and seems to inhibit aggressive behavior like biting and stinging from large ants. This allows Phrynomantis microps to live in humid burrows within large ant nests and termite mounds, where they are frequently found. While Phrynomantis microps feeds on similar insects such as the termite Macrotermes bellicosus, they have never been found to feed on the ants they share the nest with. These frogs are medium-sized and have a bright red pelvic region.
Rhombophryne is a genus of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It is currently estimated to include more than 23 species, but only 20 of these are currently described. The common name 'diamond frog' has been proposed and used for members of this genus.
The African bullfrog, also known as the giant bullfrog or the South African burrowing frog, is a species of frog in the family Pyxicephalidae. It is also known as the pixie frog due to its scientific name. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and possibly the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has been extirpated from Eswatini. It has long been confused with the edible bullfrog, and species boundaries between them, including exact range limits, are not fully understood. Additionally, P. angusticeps of coastal East Africa only was revalidated as a separate species in 2013.
Kaloula aureata, also known as the golden burrowing frog or golden bullfrog, is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to southern Thailand with records from the Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces. The validity of this poorly known species has been questioned, and Ohler (2003) tentatively considered it synonym of Kaloula pulchra macrocephala. However, following Pauwels and Chérot (2006), it is now recognized as a valid species.
Kaloula latidisca, also known as wide-disked narrow-mouthed frog, wide-disked painted frog, wide-disked bullfrog, Malaya painted bullfrog, Malayan painted bullfrog, and Malay painted sticky frog, is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to the Malay Peninsula and occurs in southern Myanmar, Peninsular Thailand, and (northern) Peninsular Malaysia. The specific name latidisca refers to the comparatively wide finger discs of this frog. Kaloula latidisca is most similar to Kaloula baleata and Kaloula indochinensis.