Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution
Author
Figueroa, Alex
Author
Low, Martyn E. Y.
0000-0001-7927-7149
martyn.low@nus.edu.sg
Author
Lim, Kelvin K. P.
0000-0002-0638-9198
kelvinlim@nus.edu.sg
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-05-18
5287
1
1
378
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1
journal article
53474
10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1
90d83153-c065-4771-9ac7-35dda67996b5
1175-5326
7960319
78E23714-8973-4755-BC94-0A751D7D2B37
Sylvirana guentheri
(Boulenger, 1882)
—
Non-native; Established.
Rana guentheri
Boulenger, 1882: 48
.
Syntypes
(3): BMNH 1876.3.14.1–2 and BMNH unnumbered, by original designation. Type locality: “Amoy” (=
Xiamen
),
China
and “
China
”; later restricted to “Amoy” (= Xiamen),
China
by
Gee & Boring (1929: 29)
.
Guenther’s Frog
(
Figure 7B
; Tengah Forest)
Singapore
records.
Hylarana guentheri
—S.H. Chan & C. Goh, 2010: 110 (Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—T.M. Leong, 2011: 21.—T.M. Leong & K.K.P.
Lim, 2011: 135–141
(Jurong Bird Park; Jurong Central Park; Lim Chu Kang Lane 3 [LCK]; Lim Chu Kang Lane 8 [LCK]; Lim Chu Kang Road [LCK]; Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve).—T.H. Ng & D.C.J. Yeo, 2012: 95, 98–99.—K.K.P. Lim & B.C. Ng, 2015: 26 (Botanic Gardens).—S.M.
Chong
et al.
, 2018: 253
, 254.—Wei
et al.
, 2019: 129, 131.— Allain & Goodman, 2020: 217 (
Singapore
Botanic Gardens [Evolution Garden]).
Remarks.
Native from central
Vietnam
to southern
China
and
Taiwan
(Frost 2017),
S. guentheri
was first documented in
Singapore
in 2010 at SBWR based on its call (
Chan & Goh 2010
). However,
S. guentheri
was apparently known from at least 1997 from Jurong Bird Park also based on its call, and separately from a photograph taken on
10 May 2008
(
Leong & Lim 2011
). Presently,
S. guentheri
is well-established, common, and widespread throughout western and central
Singapore
(Ng & Yeo 2012;
Lim & Ng 2015
). Leong &
Lim (2011)
and Ng & Yeo (2012) suggested that
S. guentheri
arrived from southern
China
as stowaways in ornamental plants, ornamental fishes, or with food. As of now,
S. guentheri
is restricted to urban areas and does not appear to be invasive; however,
S. guentheri
is known to have toxic secretions that may prove lethal to other frogs or predators, and it is also host of the parasitic roundworm,
Angiostrongylus cantonensis
, which can cause angiostrongyliasis in humans if they consume raw or undercooked intermediate hosts of this parasite, such as freshwater snails, crustaceans, or frogs (Ng & Yeo 2012).
Occurrence.
Wide-ranging. Common.
Singapore
conservation status.
Not Applicable.
Conservation priority.
None, non-native species.
IUCN conservation status.
Least Concern [2022].
LKCNHM
&
NHMUK
Museum
specimens.
Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital
:
ZRC
.1.12481 (
28-Feb-2012
);
Lim Chu Kang
:
ZRC
.1.12477–
ZRC
.1.12478 (no date),
ZRC
.1.12420 (
03-Feb-2008
)
,
ZRC
.1.12485 (
11-Jan-2012
)
,
ZRC
.1.13088–
ZRC
.1.13089 (
27-Jun-2012
)
,
ZRC
.1.13138–
ZRC
.1.13145 (
01-Apr-2018
);
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
:
ZRC
.1.12512–
ZRC
.1.12514 (
05-Nov-2014
)
.
Additional
Singapore
museum specimens.
No specimens.
Singapore
localities.
Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital—Jurong Bird Park—Jurong Central Park—Lim Chu Kang— Singapore Botanic Gardens—Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve—Tengah Forest.