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CHIN'S NATURE CORNER ~ PHOTO GALLERY ~ FROGS AND TOADS
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Frogs and Toads
WHEN I was a kid, my family lived in a low-lying area on the
outskirts of Kulim town, in the state of Kedah. Often, the area was flooded when there was
heavy rain. Even when it rained lightly, puddles of water formed on the ground. And in the night,
frogs and toads would call loudly. Sometimes their "chorus" could be quite deafening.
One
frog species, the Banded Bullfrog, Kaloula pulchra (family Microhylidae), was plentiful
then. There seem to be fewer of them around now. I had difficulty finding them during the
occasional trips back to my hometown. The call of the males of this species has been described
as being like the "bellow of cattle". This frog would puff itself up when disturbed. In dry
conditions, the frog would hunker down under logs or rocks and perhaps it could even bury
itself in the ground. (Note: The frog shown here is not the Banded Bullfrog, but the Cooper-cheeked
Frog. The photos shown here were taken in various localities.)
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The Common Greenback (Rana erythraea)
This species is commonly found in forest clearings and agricultural land, especially rice fields,
and is also called the Green Paddy Frog. Some years ago, I came upon many of these frogs at a waterlily pond
where I took these pictures. The frogs had taken to waiting on the waterlily flowers to prey on nectar-feeding
insects, such as bees. It was also at this pond that I once
saw a frog trying to eat a fish.
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The Copper-cheeked Frog
(Rana chalconota)
A common forest species, this frog is known by two names – the Copper- cheeked Frog because
of the reddish- brown patch behind the eye, and the White-Lipped Frog because of the white line
along edge of its upper jaw. This specimen is younger than the one shown at top of this page.
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The Common Tree Frog
(Polypedates leucomystax)
This is a common frog which inhabits disturbed forests, plantations and orchards, and
the fringes of forests. Its colour varies from light brown to grey. Longitudinal lines may be
seen on the back of some
specimens, and hence the species is also known as the Four-lined Tree Frog.
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The Common Greenback
(Rana erythraea)
Here’s a close-up shot of the Common Greenback or Green Paddy Frog. Although these
two names refer to the green variety, the back of this frog may
also be brown in colour as in this specimen. The white stripes along the sides and
back are characteristic of this species.
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Giant Toad (Bufo sp.)
Generally, toads have warty skins but there may be exceptions. This is a large
toad found living close to water courses in primary forests.
I photographed this specimen at a waterfall near Kuala Lumpur. I estimated its length to be about
13 to 15cm from snout to vent.
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This page revised on 24 May 2005. Copyright © Chin Fah Shin.
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