Meristogenys whiteheadi
| Meristogenys whiteheadi | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Ranidae |
| Genus: | Meristogenys |
| Species: | M. whiteheadi |
| Binomial name | |
| Meristogenys whiteheadi (Boulenger, 1887) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Rana whiteheadi Boulenger, 1887[2] | |
Meristogenys whiteheadi is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is endemic to Borneo and found in both Indonesia (northern Kalimantan) and Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak). Its common name is Whitehead's Borneo frog[3][1] or Whitehead’s torrent frog.[4] It is named after John Whitehead, explorer who collected the type series from Mount Kinabalu.[2]
Description
The dorsum is light brown to greenish dark brown. The lips are dark grey to black. The iris is bicoloured, with a reddish orange horizontal band in the middle surrounded by whitish brown bands above and below. The centre of the tympanum usually has a small light circle. The limbs have alternating light- and dark-brown dorsal cross-bars. The rear of thigh is light brown with scattered light dots. The throat and chest are whitish, with dark dots; abdomen is whitish. The legs are whitish ventrally, with patches of pigmentation.[4] The pattern may vary between locations.[5]
Meristogenys whiteheadi are relatively large frogs. Males from Sabah measured 49–62 mm (1.9–2.4 in) in snout–vent length (SVL) and females 78–87 mm (3.1–3.4 in) SVL. Males from Sarawak measured 49–57 mm (1.9–2.2 in) SVL and females 77–80 mm (3.0–3.1 in) SVL.[5]
Habitat and conservation
Meristogenys whiteheadi occur in hilly rainforests. They breed in clear, rocky streams. The tadpoles cling to the rocks in strong currents and feed on lithophytic algae.[1]
Meristogenys whiteheadi is threatened by habitat loss caused by logging.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Inger, R., Iskandar, D., Das, I., Stuebing, R., Lakim, M., Yambun, P. & Mumpuni (2004). "Meristogenys whiteheadi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Boulenger, G. A. (1887). "On new reptiles and batrachians from North Borneo". Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 5 20: 95–97.
- ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Meristogenys whiteheadi (Boulenger, 1887)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Haas, A., Hertwig, S.T., Das, I. (2014). "Meristogenys whiteheadi (Whitehead’s Torrent Frog)". Frogs of Borneo. Retrieved 11 November 2014. (includes photographs)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Inger, Robert F.; Stuebing, Robert B. (2009). "New species and new records of Bornean frogs (Amphibia: Anura)". Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57: 527–535.