Pulchrana picturata

Spotted Stream Frog

                                                                                                  

Pulchrana picturata and P. signata are members of a species group that is not yet well understood. We expect that the group on the island of Borneo comprises more than one species. Currently the two species are diagnosed by being striped (signata) or spotted (picturata); also their tadpoles may be indistinguishable in the field. 

P. picturata is a species associated with lowland streams. It has a yellow to orange spots but lacks a stripe along the trunk. Males usually are around 40 mm, females can reach almost 70 mm snout vent length.

The tadpoles are black in appearance with a blueish shimmer. The tail fin is moderately high the tail itself is long. The Tail fin bears many skin glands that become visible under appropriate light. The iris has a red ring around the pupilla. 

Tadpoles live in stagnant or slow moving water. We frequently found them in stream side pools with accumulations of leaf litter. These tadpoles specialize in using the spaces in stacks of leaf litter. They hide during the day, but may come out and surface during the night. At night they are much paler in coloration.