Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
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Family : RHACOPHORIDAE
Species : Philautus parvulus
Size (snout to vent) :
Female 2.1 cm, Male 1.8 cm
The genus Philautus
comprises 84 species (Bossuyt & Dubois, 2001) of small tree frog which occur in diverse
habitats within much of mainland Southeast Asia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo and
the Philippines.
The Dwarf Bush Frog Philautus parvulus is one of the smaller species,
measuring up to 2.1 cm from snout to vent. It thrives in lowland, hill and
montane forest, freshwater swamp and agricultural areas.
Bush Frogs (also called Shrub Frogs) lack a larval stage, and develop
directly from a gelatinous egg into the adult form. In the absence of a
tadpole stage they are able to breed in areas where there is no
free-standing water. Egg masses are generally attached to the underside of
leaves, though some species may bury their eggs in the forest soil.
The Dwarf Bush Frog is known to occur in western, northern and central
Thailand (being particularly abundant at Khao Yai) and neighbouring
countries including Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is also likely to occur
in Laos.
Fig 1 : Pale coloured
male calling from low vegetation near the swampy margin of a lake at Khao
Yai National Park, Thailand.
Figs 2 and 3 : Darker, mottled specimen with vocal sac deflated and inflated.
Khao Yai National Park, Thailand.
References :
Bossuyt, F. and Dubois, A. 2001. A review of the frog genus Philautus
Gistel, 1848 (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae, Rhacophorinae). Zeylanica.
Vol 6 : 1, pp 112.
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