Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Subclass Lissamphibia Scientific name Rhacophorus tunkui | Phylum Chordata Class Amphibia Order Anura Rank Species | |
Similar Malayan flying frog, Jade tree frog, Rhacophorus bipunctatus, Harlequin tree frog, Rhacophorus reinwardtii | ||
Rhacophorus tunkui is a disputed species of frog in the moss frog family (Rhacophoridae). It is known only from the southern and southeastern parts of Peninsular Malaysia, but might be more widespread. It is often treated as a junior synonym of R prominanus (Malayan flying frog), but this seems to be premature; actually, it appears to be a parapatric cryptic sister species. R. dulitensis from Borneo and Sumatra is probably another close relative.
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Specimens assigned to R. tunkui are reported from the Gunong Panti hills, Sungai Jasin and Ulu Endau in Johor, and Kuala Tahan and Taman Negara National Park in Pahang.
Description
This is a mid-sized tree frog with a jade to turquoise green and somewhat translucent back. Specimens are two-thirds the size of Malayan gliding frogs, i.e. females attain a body length of up to 5 cm (2.0 in), while the smaller males measure 4.2 cm or less. A red blotch occurs on the web between the fourth and fifth hind toes.
Tadpoles are greyish-green and have two or three round, black spots on each side of their tail bases. Towards metamorphosis, they become greener. They lose their tails when they are about 26–30 mm long, and freshly emergent juveniles measure about 8.5–11 mm. The labial tooth row formula (LTRF) is 5(2-5)/3 in small tadpoles and 6(2-6)/3 in older ones. Malayan gliding frog tadpoles are one-fifth longer and lack the black spots; the emergent juveniles can measure up to 15 mm.
Ecology, status and taxonomy
Its natural habitats are tropical primary rainforests of the lowlands, where they presumably inhabit rivers, intermittent rivers, and intermittent freshwater marshes. A foam nest with freshly deposited eggs was found on January 4; it was deposited on the leaf of a shrub standing in a small floodpool of 10 m2 surface area and 80 cm maximum depth. Calling males were also encountered, proving the mating season was in full swing. Other frog species found at the site were Kaloula baleata, Microhyla borneensis, M. palmipes, Polypedates macrotis and Rhacophorus appendiculatus. A young triangle keelback snake (Xenochrophis trianguligerus) was observed to feed on the eggs.
Its conservation status has not been assessed by the IUCN. However, the IUCN followed a recent study, according to which R. tunkui was a junior synonym of R. prominanus. The synonymy, however, was subsequently criticized for severe methodological flaws:
"... the justifications provided by Harvey et al. (2002) were insufficient and unconvincing, especially when type material of both R. prominanus and R. tunkui were not even examined."
While more research seems warranted, these frogs are thus better considered two species for the time being. It is not known how the restricted habitat of R. tunkui – much lowland rain forest in Peninsular Malaysia is being or has already been destroyed for plantations – would affect its conservation status. Given that it occurs in Taman Negara National Park, it would not be immediately threatened with extinction, thus both taxa would most appropriately be considered as data deficient.