Polypedates megacephalus
| Polypedates megacephalus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult at Wu Kau Tang Country Trail (New Territories, Hong Kong) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Rhacophoridae |
| Genus: | Polypedates |
| Species: | P. megacephalus |
| Binomial name | |
| Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell, 1861 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Polypedates megacephalus, the Hong Kong whipping frog or spot-legged tree frog, is a species in the shrub frog family (Rhacophoridae). In its native range, it is also called "brown tree frog", but this name is otherwise applied to a species of the true tree frog family (Hylidae).
Distribution and ecology
This species is native in central, southern and southwestern China (including Hong Kong and Hainan) and Indo-China peninsula.[3][2] It is closely related to Polypedates leucomystax and was formerly included in P. leucomystex species complex, along with P. mutus and P. braueri.
Previously, P. megacephalus was thought to distribute above the Red River of Vietnam and in Northeast India, while P. leucomystex was generally found south of the Red River and in western Yunnan.[1] However, recent genetic studies revealed that the natural barriers between these species are the Isthmus of Kra and the Tenasserim Range, where P. megacephalus can be found above the isthmus and east of the range.[3]
This frog is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution in Asia and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats. It also because of its presumed large population.[1]
Taxonomy
This species is easily confused with other members of the Polypedates leucomystax complex, and genetic sequencing is often the only way to differentiate member species.[2]
P. megacephalus was formerly synonymous with P. leucomystax, and the history of the geographic and taxonomic placement of these species, along with Polypedates braueri, is highly variable.[2]
In 2020, the former Chalcorana [Rana] scutigera was demonstrated to be synonymous with P. megacephalus.[4] This validated an earlier opinion by Edward Taylor who suggested R. scutigera's synonymy with P. leucomystax (then Rhacophorous leucomystax).[5]
Images
Polypedates megacephalus, Spot-legged tree frog - Phu Kradueng National Park%252C_Spot-legged_tree_frog_-_Khao_Nang_Phanthurat_Forest_Park_(34388069214).jpg)
Mating
Resting
References
- 1 2 3 IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. (2022). "Polypedates megacephalus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022 e.T88428054A63882206. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T88428054A63882206.en. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 Frost, Darrel. "Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell, 1861". Amphibian Species of the World 6.2, an Online Reference. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- 1 2 KURAISHI, NORIHIRO; MATSUI, MASAFUMI; HAMIDY, AMIR; BELABUT, DAICUS M.; AHMAD, NORHAYATI; PANHA, SOMSAK; SUDIN, AHMAD; YONG, HOI S.; JIANG, JIAN-PING (2012-08-16). "Phylogenetic and taxonomic relationships of thePolypedates leucomystaxcomplex (Amphibia)". Zoologica Scripta. 42 (1): 54–70. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2012.00562.x. ISSN 0300-3256. S2CID 55669609.
- ↑ Poyarkov, Nikolay A.; Solovyeva, Evgeniya N.; Nguyen, Tan V.; Geisslet, Peter (2020). "On the taxonomic status of three enigmatic Indochinese frog species (Amphibia: Anura) described by L. G. Andersson". Zootaxa. 4834 (4) 21. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4834.4.2.
- ↑ Taylor, Edward H. (1962). "The amphibian fauna of Thailand". University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 43: 265–599. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.13347. (Rana scutigera: p. 471–473).
External links
Media related to Polypedates megacephalus at Wikimedia Commons