Four-Lined Tree Frog

(Polypedates leucomystax) (Gravenhorst)

Description: A small to medium-sized frog with a slender body and long slender hand limbs. The sides of the snout are sharp, but the tip is not. The skin is smooth except for a curved fold over the eardrum. These frogs vary from light beige to dark tan on the head, back and legs. Most individuals have four dark narrow stripes running down the back, while the rest have scattered brown spots.

Males: 37 - 50 mm

Females: 57 - 75 mm

Tadpoles: The body is slightly flattened above; the colour light buff or brown with irregular markings. Total lengths reach 50 mm. Unlike most tadpoles form Borneo, their eyes are on the side of the head rather than the top.

Habits and habitat: This is a frog of disturbed habitats, found everyway including inside the houses but rarely entering primary forest. Males form calling groups around any standing water. We have even seen pairs mating at the edge of small, water filled road ruts. Adults eat a variety of insects and other vertebrates.

Call: A low pitched nasal quack.

Distribution: Occurs throughout Borneo in disturbed environments as high as 750 meters above sea level. This species is widely distributed in southern Asia.