Kalophrynus baluensis Kiew, 1984 Balu Sticky Frog

Zug, George R., 2015, Morphology and Systematics of Kalophrynus interlineatus-pleurostigma Populations (Anura: Microhylidae: Kalophryninae) and a Taxonomy of the Genus Kalophrynus Tschudi, Asian Sticky Frogs, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (5), pp. 135-190 : 154-155

Kalophrynus baluensis Kiew, 1984 Balu Sticky Frog

Kalophrynus baluensis Kiew, 1984a, Malayan Nature Journal 38:152 [type locality: “Kamborangoh at 7,200 feet, Mount Kinabalu ”, Sabah, Malaysia] .

TYPE MATERIAL.— HOLOTYPE: BMNH 1929. 12. 22. 51, by original designation.

DEFINITION.— Small, adult females 24.7–25.8* mm SVL (n = 2), adult males 25.8– 26.3* mm SVL (n = 2) [*see Comments]; head moderately long 31–33 % HeadL/ SVL; head slightly wider than long 104–106 % HeadW/HeadL; naris closer to snout than to eye 59–72 % NarEye/SnEye; eye moderately large 36–37 % EyeD/HeadL; tympanum visible and smaller than eye 77–79 % Tymp/EyeD; slender moderately long forelimb 29–31 % Forarm/ SVL and forearm to crus length NA % Forarm/CrusL; hindlimb moderately long NA % HndlL/ SVL, 39–40 % CrusL/ SVL, and NA % CrusL/ThghL; hindfoot well developed NA % HndfL/CrusL.

Vomerine teeth absence; palatal fold morphology not reported; tongue size and shape not reported.

Fingers no webbing; lengths 3>2>1>4; tips rounded and slightly dilated; subarticular tubercles present, shape and numbers on digits not reported; fleshy palmar tubercle, size and shape not reported. Toes moderately webbed, web extending to distal subarticular tubercle of toe 3 and between proximal and middle tubercle of toe 4, lengths 4>3>5>2>1; tips rounded, not dilated; subarticular tubercles present, number and shapes not reported; oval inner and round outer metatarsal tubercles poorly developed.

Color in life not known; dorsum brown with darker brown hour-glass mark from between eyes to mid-trunk with broad brown stripes radiating rearward, no inguinal ocelli (see Comments); loris dark brown; dark brown dorsolateral stripe from above eye to anterior trunk; sides of trunk dark spotted; venter tannish with numerous small dark spots from chin to pelvis.

ETYMOLOGY.— The name baluensis derives from the frog’s origin in the high montane forest of Mount Kinabalu.

DISTRIBUTION.— Sabah, Borneo. Known only from upper slopes of Mount Kinabalu .

NATURAL HISTORY.— Kalophrynus baluensis is a high-elevation, forest-floor frog living in the leaf-litter of oak-chestnut forest between 1400–1800m a.s.l. It calls predominantly at night and typically from burrows or forms. It appears to have an unique handstand defensive posture.

COMMENTS.— Preceding information extracted from Kiew (1984a). The description of this species in Malkmus et al. (2002) differs substantially from Kiew’s original description, and the former’s characterization is summarized below. I accept their characterization as mostly correct and attribute the differences to Kiew’s data as a result of Kiew having juveniles and their examination of a larger series of adults.

Moderate-sized, adult females to 47 mm SVL, adult males to 36 mm SVL; head wider than long; tympanum smaller than eye 50–75 % Tymp/EyeD, supratympanic fold present (their fig. 114); tips of fingers round, not dilated, finger length 3>2>1>4; hindlimbs moderately long 39–45 % CrusL/ SVL; toes webbed at base; subarticular and metatarsal tubercles weakly developed; one to two yellow inguinal “ocelli” (not clear whether just spots or dark-edged spots).