Microhyla mantheyi Das, Yaakob & Sukumaran, 2007

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 : 48

Microhyla mantheyi Das, Yaakob & Sukumaran, 2007 — Native.

Microhyla mantheyi Das, Yaakob & Sukumaran, 2007 , Hamadryad, 31: 306. Holotype: ZRC 1.10988 , by original designation. Type locality: “from road between Jemaluang and Kahang (02°16’N, 103°52- 36’E), Johor, Malaysia ”.

Manthey’s Chorus Frog

( Figure 6C )

Singapore records.

Microhyla borneensis (non Parker, 1928)—T.M.Leong & L.M. Chou, 1997: 97–103 (Central Catchment).— R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 401 (Rifle Range Forest).—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 14.—T.M. Leong & L.M. Chou, 1999: 123–124.— Iskandar & Colijn, 2000: 61.—T.M. Leong, 2000: 3.— K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 145.— Das & Haas, 2005: 379.—T.M. Leong, 2011: 22.

Microhyla mantheyi Das, Yaakob & Sukumaran, 2007: 306 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest; Rifle Range Road; Sime Road Forest; Taban Valley [BTNR]).—K.K.P. Lim & T.M. Leong, 2008: 264.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 66, 159 (Central Nature Reserves).— Davison, 2011: 110.—T.M. Leong, 2011: 20.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 66, 159.— Manthey & Denzer, 2014: 16.—I.S. Law & Groenewoud, 2015b: 63 (Venus Loop [WNP]).—S.M. Chong et al., 2018: 253, 254.— Garg et al., 2022: 14–15.

Remarks. Prior to the recent discovery of Micryletta subaraji (Sankar et al. 2022) , Microhyla mantheyi was the last native frog species added to Singapore’s herpetofauna. It was first discovered on 20 August 1996 (five months after Theloderma horridum was discovered, [ Leong et al. 1996]) based on a collection of tadpoles and the subsequent capture of a live adult that was tracked by its call on 5 December 1996 at CCNR ( Leong & Chou 1997). Teo & Rajathurai (1997) accredited the locality as RRF. Afterwards, a preserved specimen of a tadpole at LKCNHM collected in 1974, and labelled “undetermined”, was also identified as M. mantheyi ( Leong & Chou 1997) . Only three other publications reported records of M. mantheyi from Singapore. The first comes from Das et al. (2007) who examined specimens from BTNR, NSSF and SRF, and redescribed M. borneensis populations from Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore as M. mantheyi . Next, Law & Groenewoud (2015b) saw and heard several individuals calling at WNP on 24 April 2015. Lastly, Chong et al. (2018) examined a wild-caught specimen for chytrid. Microhyla mantheyi is frequently heard and oftentimes seen, but observations are not published. The example illustrated in Figure 6C was photographed at NSSF on 22 June 2011 (A. Figueroa pers. obs.). Using species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive phylogeny of Microhyla, Gorin et al. (2020) showed that M. mantheyi in Peninsular Malaysia may comprise two species. As this awaits further investigation, Singapore populations should also be examined to assess their taxonomic status.

Occurrence. Restricted to few locations with CNR and surrounding Nature Parks. Rare.

Singapore conservation status. Vulnerable.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2022].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve : ZRC.1.3492 (14-Jan-1999) , ZRC.1.10511 (13-Mar-2003) ; Sime Road Forest : ZRC.1.12443 (09-Nov-2009) , ZRC.1.10224 (11-Dec-2002) ; Nee Soon Swamp Forest : ZRC.1.10256 (24-Dec-2002) ; Rifle Range Road: ZRC.1.3451 (06-Dec-1996) , ZRC.1.3427– ZRC.1.3428 (20-Aug-1996) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens.

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Rifle Range Forest—Rifle Range Road—Sime Road Forest—Windsor Nature Park.

Figures

FIGURE 6. A) Microhyla cf. butleri, B) Microhyla cf. heymonsi, C) Microhyla mantheyi, D) Microhyla cf. mukhlesuri, E) Micryletta subaraji, F) Chalcorana labialis, G) Hylarana erythraea, and H) Pulchrana baramica. Photographs by: Kelvin K.P. Lim [A–B, G], Alex Figueroa [C–D, F], and Law Ing Thong [E, H].