Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
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Family : MEGOPHRYIDAE
Species : Leptobrachium hendricksoni
Size (snout to vent) : Female 8 cm, Male 5 cm
The Spotted Litter Frog
inhabits primary forest, freshwater swamp forest and hill forest. In
Peninsular Malaysia it appears to be a lowland species, typically occurring at
elevations below 300 metres, however in southern Thailand it reportedly
occurs up to 1000 metres.
It is a forest floor dweller, often remaining concealed beneath leaf litter,
but during the breeding season may be observed at the edge of forest
streams.
Its body is plump, its legs are thin and spindly, and its head is relatively
large with a blunt snout.
Its dorsal
surface is dark grey or dark brownish grey, and its ventral surface
is pale with dark spots on the belly and throat. Its limbs are patterned
with narrow, dark bars.
Its most striking feature, and the means by which it can be easily
differentiated from is cousin the
Black-eyed Litter Frog, is the bright orange colour of the iris. There
is a well developed skin fold ('supratympanic fold') extending from behind
the eye.
The tadpoles, which are found in the less turbulent parts of forest streams, are large and are
patterned with numerous small dark spots.
This frog occurs in southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia,
Sumatra and Borneo. It is absent from Singapore.
Figs 1 and 2 : : Specimen from Johor, Peninsular Malaysia in freshwater swamp forest habitat.
Fig 3 : Tadpole with numerous dark spots, in a clear forest stream.
Fig 4 : This tadpole has well-developed front and hind legs which are already
patterned with narrow, dark bars.
References : H3
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