Feihyla kajau, also known as the Dring's flying frog, white-eared tree frog, and white-eared jelly-nest frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae.[2][4][5] It is endemic to Borneo and found in all major jurisdictions of the island Kalimantan (Indonesia), Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia), and Brunei.[4] The specific name kajau is Berawan for "charming".[3]

Feihyla kajau
Dorsolateral and ventral views of the same individual[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Genus: Feihyla
Species:
F. kajau
Binomial name
Feihyla kajau
(Dring, 1983)
Synonyms[4]
  • Rhacophorus kajau Dring, 1983[3]

Description

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Males grow to 20 mm (0.8 in) in snout–vent length[3] while females can reach larger sizes.[5] The body is slender. The snout is very short and blunt. The tympanum is small and inconspicuous. The finger and toe tips are broadly rounded. The outer fingers have basal webbing the toes are half-webbed. Skin is dorsally finely shagreened. The dorsum is green above, abruptly ending at flanks, and brown posteriorly in the pelvic region, scattered white dots above. The venter is white anteriorly and transparent posteriorly. The iris is silvery below and golden above, with some dark reticulation and golden ring around pupil that is horizontally oval.[1]

The male advertisement call is soft and high-pitched.[5] Dorsum of tadpoles is brown with scattering of light bronze pigmentation on trunk and forehead. Underside of the tadpole is transparent and internal organs are visible. Tadpoles reach up to 26.7 mm (1.1 in) in total length. Eyes are positioned dorsolaterally.[6]

Habitat and conservation

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Feihyla kajau occurs in primary and slightly disturbed lowland rainforests in flat and hilly terrain at elevations below 700 m (2,300 ft) above sea level, sometimes to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[2] Individuals can be found perching on low vegetation overhanging small, rocky streams or swampy, muddy pools.[2][5] Eggs are laid on the surface of leaves in clutches of approximately 7–10.[6]

Feihyla kajau can be common in suitable habitat.[2][5] Parts of its range are threatened by logging concessions, small scale subsistence logging, oil palm plantations, and property development. It is present in a number of protected areas.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Haas, Alexander; Boon-Hee, Kueh; Joseph, Alvinus; bin Asri, Masliadi; Das, Indraneil; Hagmann, Reto; Schwander, Loraine & Hertwig, Stefan (2018). "An updated checklist of the amphibian diversity of Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia". Evolutionary Systematics. 2 (1): 89–114. doi:10.3897/evolsyst.2.27020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Feihyla kajau". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T58999A176382295. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T58999A176382295.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Dring, Julian (1983). "Some new frogs from Sarawak". Amphibia-Reptilia. 4 (2): 103–115. doi:10.1163/156853883X00021.
  4. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2022). "Feihyla kajau (Dring, 1983)". Amphibian Species of the World: An Online Reference. Version 6.1. American Museum of Natural History. doi:10.5531/db.vz.0001. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Haas, A.; Das, I. & Hertwig, S.T. (2022). "Feihyla kajau White-eared Tree Frog". Frogs of Borneo – The frogs of East Malaysia and their larval forms. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
  6. ^ a b Das, Indraneil; Hedeir, Hairi; Pui, Yong Min; Hertwig, Stefan & Haas, Alexander (2016). "Larval external morphology and development in Feihyla kajau (Dring, 1983) (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae)" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 64: 319–328.
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