Microhyla cf. butleri Boulenger, 1900

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 : 45-46

Microhyla cf. butleri Boulenger, 1900 — Native.

Microhyla Butleri Boulenger, 1900: 188 . Holotype: BMNH 1947.2 .11.70, by original designation. Type locality: “Larut Hills at 4,000 feet ”, Peninsular Malaysia.

Painted Chorus Frog

( Figure 6A )

Singapore records.

Microhyla butleri —Taylor, 1962: 557.— Berry, 1964: 227–243 (Botanic Gardens).— Berry, 1965: 163– 174 (Botanic Gardens).—Inger & Bacon, 1968: 602.— Grandison, 1972: 59.—K. Lim, 1989a: 5 (Senoko).—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 57.—K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1991c: 4 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest).—K.K.P. Lim & C.M. Yang, 1991: 229 (Dover Road; Hong Kah Lane; Sime Road Forest).—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 42, 144 (St. John’s Island).—K.K.P. Lim & Subharaj, 1992: 9 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest).—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 93.—R. Subaraj, 1994: 15 (Mandai Track 15; Ulu Sembawang Forest). R. Subaraj, 1995: 36.—T.M. Leong & L.M. Chou, 1997: 97.— Manthey & Grossmann, 1997: 62.—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 401, 402.—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 14.—T.M. Leong & L.M. Chou, 1999: 124–126.— Hirai & Matsui, 2000: 28, 32.—T.M. Leong, 2000: 5.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 145.— Anonymous, 2003: 32, 93 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 65, 159.—T.M. Leong et al., 2009: 364 ( Singapore Zoo).—Bickford et al., 2010: 121, 122.—S.H. Chan & C. Goh, 2010: 111 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 158.—T.M. Leong, 2011: 22.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 65, 159.— Gilbert et al., 2012: 393.—T.H. Ng & D.C.J. Yeo, 2012: 100.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 390.— Manthey & Denzer, 2014: 9.—E.K. Chua, 2015: 126.—I.S. Law & Groenewoud, 2015b: 63.—R. Subaraj, 2015: 53, 54, 56 (Night Safari; Stephen Lee Woods [= RPN]; Ulu Sembawang Forest).—S. Subaraj, 2015: 4, 7 (Night Safari; Stephen Lee Woods [= RPN]).—K.K.P. Lim et al., 2016: 173, 174 (Pulau Tekong).—S.M. Chong et al., 2018: 253.— H.C. Ho et al., 2019: 125 (Alexandra Woodlands; Clementi Forest).—H.T.W. Tan et al., 2019: 132 (Kent Ridge Park; National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus).—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 146, 154, 179 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).— Luong et al., 2022: 6.—Sankar et al., 2022: 465 (Kranji Marshes).

“ Microhyla ” —D.S. Johnson, 1992: 40.

Remarks. Despite being an exceedingly ubiquitous and common species in Singapore, no published record exists depicting the first discovery of M. cf. butleri from Singapore. The first documented appearance of M. cf. butleri comes from Taylor (1962) who referred to a specimen he collected in Singapore (EHT-HMS No. M.160). An earlier museum specimen (BPBM 7019) collected by Hendrickson in NSSF dates back to 1953. After Berry (1964; 1965) published data on breeding patterns and diet of several frogs from SBG, M. cf. butleri was not reported again from Singapore until 24 years later ( Table 2 ) by K. Lim (1989a) who described finding tadpoles at Senoko. In describing M. aurantiventris from Vietnam, Nguyen et al. (2019) uncovered cryptic species diversity within M. butleri , showing that populations in Taiwan is sister to all remaining M. butleri . Using species delimitation analyses performed on a comprehensive phylogeny of Microhyla, Gorin et al. (2020) supported Nguyen et al. ’s (2019) results and imparted that the M. butleri complex may consist of two to four species. Further inspection is required to determine if there is hidden diversity within Indochina and Malay Peninsula populations. At present, the phylogenetic status of Singapore populations remains unknown.

Occurrence. Ubiquitous. Common.

Singapore conservation status. Least Concern.

Conservation priority. Lowest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2022].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Botanic Gardens : BMNH 1974.3253 – 3261 (no date); Bukit Timah : ZRC.1.3429 (Oct-1996) , ZRC.1.3430 (Aug-1996); Bukit Timah Nature Reserve : ZRC.1.12424 ( Jun-2008); Dover Road : ZRC.1.1542 (19-Oct-1974) , ZRC.1.1639– ZRC.1.1644 (07-Dec-1974) ; Hindhede Drive : ZRC.1.4551 (13-Apr-1990) ; Hong Kah Lane : ZRC.1.1520 (Oct-1986) ; Kent Ridge Campus [ NUS]: ZRC.1.3457 (Dec-1996) ; Lim Chu Kang Road [ LKC]: ZRC.1.8019 (23-Apr-2001) ; Lower Peirce Forest : ZRC.1.10266– ZRC.1.10277 (26-Dec-2002) , ZRC.1.5384 (10-Aug-2000) , ZRC.1.10521 (14-Mar-2003) ; Mandai Orchid Garden [= MBP]: ZRC.1.12556– ZRC.1.12558 (11-May-2006) , ZRC.1.12563 (17- May-2006) ; Pasir Ris Park : ZRC.1.10409– ZRC.1.10411 (19-Feb-2003) ; Pulau Tekong : ZRC.1.11289 (15-Nov-2001) , ZRC.1.9070 (28-Nov-2001) , ZRC.1.11290 (20-Dec-2001) ; Sembawang : ZRC.1.12537 (21-Mar-2006) ; Sime Road Forest : ZRC.1.2898 (08-Sep-1990) ; Singapore Zoo : ZRC.1.12555 (10-May-2006) ; Upper Thomson Pond [ TNP]: ZRC.1.12550– ZRC.1.12551 (08-May-2006) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): FMNH; “Between Pierce & MacRitchie Reservoirs” [= MacRitchie]: BPBM; Botanic Gardens: BPBM; Nee Soon Rifle Range [= NSSF]: BPBM.

Singapore localities. Alexandra Woodlands—Bukit Timah (not specified)—Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—Clementi Forest—Dover Road—Hindhede Drive—Hong Kah Lane—Kent Ridge Park—Kranji Marshes—Lim Chu Kang—Lower Peirce Forest—MacRitchie (not specified)—Mandai Bird Park—Mandai Track 15— National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Night Safari—Pasir Ris Park—Pulau Tekong—Rainforest Park North—Sembawang—Senoko—Sime Road Forest—Singapore Botanic Gardens—Singapore Zoo—St. John’s Island—Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve—Thomson Nature Park—Ulu Sembawang Forest.

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].