Banded Bullfrog - Another Eater of Ants

The Banded Bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra) is very similar to the Brown Bullfrog (K. baleata) in both appearance and habits. (See my previous post of 23 December 2007) It can be recognized from the latter by the wide yellow band on its sides and by its slightly bigger size.
This species is said to be a recent introduction in Borneo and is a frog of human settlements living under rubbish heaps and other debris in town and cities. They emerge in big numbers after a heavy rain to form large noisy breeding groups in flooded drains and ponds. Males inflate themselves into balls as they calls while floating on the water surface.

Ants, as my photos (taken in my brother's house on Labuan Island) show, are their almost exclusive food.

 

Saffron-Bellied Frogs

The Saffron-bellied Frog - Chaperina fusca - is a tiny frog belonging to the family Microhylidae or Narrow-mouthed Frog. Although said to be quite common they are seldom seen; they usually inhabit forest and breed in rain-filled pools, where they congregate in numbers to mate.


Photo 1 - An adult frog on my finger. Photo 2 - The underside showing saffron-yellow spots

I first came across this species a few years back breeding in a well shaded small cement water tank in an oil palm plantation. As this tank is always filled with rain-water it is continuously occupied by these little frogs, and there are usually some tadpoles in the tank at any one time the whole year round. Mating activity is most active when it rains when the soft chirping songs of the males could be heard.

Photo 3 - A small colony of these frogs live in this cement tank (click on photo to see details). Photo 4 - Tadpoles

The adult frogs are only about 25mm (1-inch) in length, the male slightly smaller than the female. The back is dark greenish brown in colour, the limbs light brown to orange with dark brown bars, on the belly are saffron-orange spots on a darker background, strangely the yellow colour will rub off on to human fingers when handled. On each elbow and heel there is a flexible spine-like projection.

Chorus in the Rain

Click play button to watch and hear frog carol!

IT may be the season for Christmas carols but here there's definitely no silent nights! When it rains cats and dogs these little frogs gather together to sing their surprisingly loud chorus of groans and hongs.

When we were children we thought the sounds were made by monsters in the swamps, and adults warned us about playing in the rain! Now I wonder whether the adults then actually knew what made the ruckus, surely only few knew such loud noise could be made by such small frogs!

The musical wonders are actually squat little 2 to 2.5-inch (50-65mm) frogs with short legs commonly called Brown Bulfrogs (Kaloula baleata) that walk rather than jump. During dry weather they are quiet and secretive, hiding under dry leaves and plant debris and coming out to feed mostly on ants at night.

When calling they are a sight to behold as my short clip shows; the males inflate themelves grostequely while floating on the surface of temporary ponds. I took this video when there was a lull in the downpour with the help of a flashlight.

A champion singing male >