Microhyla nepenthicola

Microhyla nepenthicola
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Suborder:	Neobatrachia
Family:	Microhylidae
Subfamily:	Microhylinae
Genus:	Microhyla
Species:	M. nepenthicola
Binomial name
Microhyla nepenthicola Das & Haas, 2010

Microhyla nepenthicola is a species of frog found in the Matang Range in Sarawak, Borneo.^[1] It is the smallest known frog from the Old World.^[2][3] It belongs to the family Microhylidae. Adult males of this species have a snout-vent length (SVL) of 10.6–12.8 mm.^[1] Tadpoles measure just 3 mm.^[4] It is one of 30 species in the genus Microhyla, 5 others of which live in Borneo.^[1]

Habitat and distribution

M. nepenthicola is found near Mount Serapi in Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. It spends much of its lifecycle in the traps of the pitcher plant Nepenthes ampullaria, after which it is named. It is therefore considered a nepenthebiont. This is not particularly unusual; in fact, it shares this environment with a species of crab spider, Misumenops nepenthicola, which is also commonly found in Nepenthes pitchers, and is similarly named for this reason. Microhyla nepenthicola has less webbing on its feet than most frogs, which may be beneficial when trying to climb the sides of the pitcher plants, which can be slippery.^[5]

Discovery

Frogs of the species that was eventually described as Microhyla nepenthicola had been known to scientists for at least 100 years prior to its description in 2010. However, scientists had always assumed that the frogs were juveniles of another species. Researchers Indraneil Das and Alexander Haas recognized that they were actually adults when they heard the frogs calling in Kubah National Park, since only adult frogs make calls.^[4][6] Adult males call from the pitcher plants at dusk.^[5]

The smallest Old World frog species prior to the description of Microhyla nepenthicola was Stumpffia pygmaea, with a snout-vent length of 10.9–12.0 mm.^[1]

See also

• Smallest amphibian

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Das, I. & A. Haas. (2010). "New species of Microhyla from Sarawak: Old World’s smallest frogs crawl out of miniature pitcher plants on Borneo (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae)". Zootaxa 2571: 37–52. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2010/f/z02571p052f.pdf. 
2. ^ "Tiny, New, Pea-Sized Frog Is Old World's Smallest". Science Daily. 2010-08-25. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100825094915.htm. 
3. ^ Gururaja, K.V. 2010. Old World’s smallest frog discovered residing in killer plants.PDF Current Science 99(8): 1000.
4. ^ ^{a b} "World's smallest frog is size of a pea". New York Post. 2006-08-26. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/world_smallest_frog_is_size_of_pea_TcyMF7UJ11NICeyJm2YGaK. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Microhyla nepenthicola sp. nov.". Conservation International. http://www.conservation.org/explore/discoveries/surveys/amphibians/Pages/Microhyla_nepenthicola.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-27. 
6. ^ Muessig, Ben. "Scientists Discover Pea-Sized Frog in Borneo". aol. http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/scientists-discover-pea-sized-frog-in-borneo/19609590?icid=main%7Cmain%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C166349. Retrieved 2010-08-26. 

External links

• Data related to Microhyla nepenthicola at Wikispecies