Zum Hauptinhalt springen

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Frogs of Borneo

Filter

Leptophryne borbonica

Toads gather around small streams with gravel and sand bottom or at seepage areas for reproduction. The species is distributed widely in the lowland rainforests of Borneo up to elevations of 1100 m a.s.l. Despite the wide distribution, we encountered populations only in certain areas. The ecological demands of this species are not well understood.
  • Family:
    Bufonidae
  • Genus:
    Leptophryne
  • Ecomorph:
    benthic, exotrophic, lotic
  • Waterbody Type:
    flowing
  • Water Column:
    bottom
  • Feeding Type:
    feeding, generalist
  • Size:
    15 mm
  • Development:
    larva, tadpole
  • Adult:
    Leptophryne
    borbonica

Coloration

Head and body blackish brown dorsally, tail musculature the same. In our sample, the area from the eye and nostril down to the oral disc was unpigmented. Dark dorsal pigmentation fades along the flanks. Ventral side unpigmented and translucent, inner organs visible. Tail fins clear.

Snout

Not expanded, rounded laterally and moderately tapering from the level of the eyes forward in dorsal view.

Oral Disc

Ventral, much narrower than maximum body width. Single row of marginal papillae on upper lip restricted to lateral quadrants; wide middle section of upper lip without papillae. Lower lip fully papillated in a uniserial row along margin. Keratodont formula: 2(2)/3 or 2(1–2)/3. Beaks undivided, narrow, relatively weak.

Body

Ovoid laterally, slightly depressed dorsoventrally; dorsal view oval to moderately rhomboid. Widest point posterior to level of eyes. Spiracle tubular with free orifice, visible from above.

Eyes & Nostrils

Nostrils elevated in snout profile, relatively large. Eyes dorsolateral. Iris black with few silvery iridophores.

Tail

Moderately long. Dorsal fin starts at trunk-tail junction, rising slowly initially and then more pronouncedly to a moderately high fin. Tail tip rounded.

Similar Species

Body shape and small size are similar to other bufonids (see remarks for Rentapia hosii), but L. borbonica differs from other Ingerophrynus, Rentapia, and Duttaphrynus by the divided second keratodont row on the upper lip and uninterrupted marginal papilla row on the lower lip. Species of Ansonia possess a suckerlike oral disc. Other species potentially occurring in the same streams, such as Limnonectes, Leptobrachella, or Feihyla, can be excluded based on body shape and keratodont configuration.

Literature

Eggs are deposited in clusters of 200–300 eggs between gravel of the stream in quiet sections, also in seepage areas (Berry 1972). Eggs are 1.29 mm in diameter. We found clutches with embryos attached to the gravel and covered by leaf litter (see photo). Embryos were found over a larger area, possibly indicating that several females had spawned simultaneously.
Berry, P.Y. (1972) Undescribed and little known tadpoles from West Malaysia. Herpetologica, 28: 338–346.

Inger, R.F. (1985) Tadpoles of the forested regions of Borneo. Fieldiana Zoology new series 26:1–89.