Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 242-243

Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802) — Non-native; Introduced.

American Bullfrog

Singapore records.

Rana castabeiana [sic]—K. Lim, 1989d: 21 (Upper Peirce Reservoir).—K. Lim, 1989h: 66 (Sime Road Forest; Upper Peirce Reservoir).

Rana catesbeiana —K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 18.—E.K. Chua, 1993: 52 (MacRitchie Reservoir).— K.P. Lim, 1994d: 15 (Seletar Reservoir).—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2007: 193.—P.K.A. Ng, 2009: 18.— Bickford et al., 2010: 123.— Gilbert et al., 2012: 393.—T. Yap, 2016: 71.

Lithobates catesbeianus —N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 165.—T.H. Ng & K.K.P. Lim, 2010: 118 (Bedok Reservoir: Jurong Lake; Kranji Reservoir; Lower Peirce Reservoir).—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2010: 251.—D.C.J. Yeo & C.S.W. Chia, 2010: 32.—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 220.—T.M. Leong & K.K.P. Lim, 2011: 140.—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2011: 101.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 15, 165.—T.H. Ng & D.C.J. Yeo, 2012: 95, 99–100 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve; Central Catchment Nature Reserve).—K.Y. Chong et al., 2013: 290.—H.H. Tan, 2014a: 93 (Upper Seletar).—E.K. Chua, 2015: 162.—S.M. Chong et al., 2018: 254.—M.F.C. Ng, 2021: 1 (Yishun Park).

Rana catesbiana [sic]—P.K.L. Ng et al., 1993: 20, 21.— Davison et al., 2012: 139.

Lithobates catesbeiana —P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 254.

Lithobates catesbaiena [sic]—D.L. Yong et al., 2014: 203, 204.

Remarks. Native to central and eastern Mexico, United States of America, and Canada (Frost 2020), L. catesbeianus has been introduced to at least 37 countries globally ( Global Invasive Species Database 2019b). Lithobates catesbeianus was imported into Singapore for food in the 1980s and is still sold alive at wet markets (Ng & Lim 2010). Currently, the Jurong Frog Farm in Singapore breeds and sells L. catesbeianus for food, and juveniles are often sold illegally in pet shops as feed for ornamental fish ( Leong & Lim 2011; Ng & Yeo 2012). In 1989, there were records of individuals in UPR ( Lim 1989d), and now frogs have been found elsewhere in Singapore, including the nature reserves (Ng & Yeo 2012). Although L. catesbeianus appears widespread in Singapore, it’s most common in BBNP, BR, and JL. Yet, no evidence of breeding in the wild has been documented (Ng & Yeo 2012). Thus, most individuals encountered are suspected to to have been released, particularly for spiritual merit (fang sheng) (Ng & Lim 2010; Ng & Yeo 2012). However, tadpoles have been found in drainage channels of the frog farm and may have reached other locations via the drainage system ( Leong & Lim 2011). Lithobates catesbeianus is listed on IUCN’s 100 World’s Worst Invasive Species, mainly because it is a carrier of the chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis , and because it is a voracious predator and competitor of native species ( Lowe et al. 2004; Global Invasive Species Database 2019a). As of now, negative impacts of L. catesbeianus to native fauna remains unknown (Ng & Yeo 2012), but they will feed on native fauna (Ng 2021). As there is no evidence suggesting that L. catesbeianus has established populations in Singapore, we omit it from Singapore’s herpetofauna checklist.

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Greenbank Park: ZRC.1.11347 (19-Apr-2004); Telok Blangah : ZRC.1.13116 - 13117 (09-Dec-2006) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): ZFMK.

Genus Odorrana Fitzinger, 1843 (1 species)