Diversity of frogs and their microhabitats in Tawau Hills Park, Sabah

• Main Author: Yong, Huai Mei
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: QL640-669.3 Reptiles and amphibians
• Online Access: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37664/1/24%20PAGES.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37664/2/FULLTEXT.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/37664/

A study on the diversity of frogs using Visual Encounter Survey (VES) was carried out in Tawau Hills National Park (THP), from June 2009 until September 2010. Twentyeight line transects were established and surveyed resulted in the encounter of 925 individuals from 51 species representing six families. Eighteen species were new locality records for the park, bringing the total number of identified frog species in THP to 68 species. These frogs occupied elevations from lowland area (200m asl) at headquarters of THP, Balong substation and Merotai substation to submontane area (>900m asl) at Mount Maria, Mount Lucia and Mount Magdalena. All 68 species recorded in this study represented approximately 42% of the total frog species found in Borneo Island, with 15% of them are endemic to Borneo. They also represented 62% of the total frog species found in Sabah. Frog species in THP were dominated by Ranidae (39.35%) and Dicroglossidae (24.43%). Limnonectes leporinus was the most abundant species (10.16%), followed by Meristogenys orphnocnemis (10.05%). The high species diversity and species richness found in THP could be due to the rich topography of this park which provides ample feeding, breeding and shelter for frogs. According to Canonical Correspondent Analysis (CCA), Philautus petersi and Rhacophorus pardalis have shown preference to natural forest floor whereas Limnonectes leporinus and Staurois natator showed preference to river bank. The mean distance of frog occurrence to river was 53.52 ± 85.95cm. Leptobrachium hendricksoni, L abbotti and Leptolalax dringi showed strong association with leaf litters as their vertical position whereas Limnonectes leporinus, L. kuh/ii and Occidozyga ba/uensis showed preference to bare mineral on floor. The mean distance of frog- occurrence from ground level was 51.13 ± 84.37 cm. CCA also shown that Leptolalax dringi, Leptobrachium hendricksoni and L. abbotti showed preference to leaf substrates whereas Limnonectes kuhlii, L. /eporinus and Ansonia longidigita showed preferences to rocks substrates.