Romer's Tree Frog
Encyclopedia
Romer's Tree Frog is a species of frog
endemic to Hong Kong
. With an average snout
-vent
length of 1.5 - 2.5 cm, it is the smallest amphibian
recorded in the territory. Despite its common name, it belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, instead of the Hylidae.
Romer's Tree Frog has a triangular but blunt snout with brown-spotted lips. Between the eyes is a dark bar, which extends to the eyelids. The hindlegs are long, slender, and barred with irregular brown-to-black crossbands. All digits have small toe pads, which allow the frog to hang on tree branches or leaves.
of the frog is well-wooded areas near a small stream or other water source suitable for breeding. The creature usually sits on low bushes, buries itself in fallen leaves, or rests on bare ground. The frog has been recorded solely from 4 of the outlying islands in Hong Kong, namely Lantau Island
, Lamma Island
, Po Toi Island and Chek Lap Kok
.
Its tadpoles and eggs are susceptible to predation by the introduced mosquitofish
, and it is only able to breed in places the fish has yet to colonise. The frog breeds in shallow water from early March to September. The male has a shrill staccato call. The female glues up to 120 eggs onto submerged plant debris, stones or vegetation. The tadpoles, brown in colour, require 4 to 6 weeks to metamorphose in captivity.
Adults feed on termites, and such small insects as cricket
s and arachnids such as spiders. The frog is strictly nocturnal
. It lives for approximately 3 years in the wild, but the female is reproductively active only for 2 breeding seasons.
Over 200 individuals of the species were rescued from Chek Lap Kok in 1992, before the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport
. The captives were bred successfully and the offspring were released into 8 selected sites in Hong Kong Island
and New Territories
. The frogs in 7 of the sites survived. Surprisingly, a very small number of the creatures also survives in Chek Lap Kok.
An endangered species, Romer's Tree Frog is protected under the law of Hong Kong (Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, Cap. 170). Part of Ngong Ping
in Lantau, a site that supports the largest population of the frog, has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
in May 1999.
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
endemic to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. With an average snout
Snout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
-vent
Cloaca
In zoological anatomy, a cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts of certain animal species...
length of 1.5 - 2.5 cm, it is the smallest amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
recorded in the territory. Despite its common name, it belongs to the Rhacophoridae family, instead of the Hylidae.
Physical descriptions
The female frog is slightly larger than the male. The body of the creature is tan brown, with the underside white. An X-like marking, made up of two crooked black lines, can be seen on the dorsum. Sometimes the lines do not meet medially, thus leading to a chevron marking posteriorly. Underneath the X-like marking lies another upside-down V-like marking.The skin is peppered with fine granules. A distinct fold extends from the eye to the foreleg.Romer's Tree Frog has a triangular but blunt snout with brown-spotted lips. Between the eyes is a dark bar, which extends to the eyelids. The hindlegs are long, slender, and barred with irregular brown-to-black crossbands. All digits have small toe pads, which allow the frog to hang on tree branches or leaves.
Ecology and behaviour
The habitatHabitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
of the frog is well-wooded areas near a small stream or other water source suitable for breeding. The creature usually sits on low bushes, buries itself in fallen leaves, or rests on bare ground. The frog has been recorded solely from 4 of the outlying islands in Hong Kong, namely Lantau Island
Lantau Island
Lantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
, Lamma Island
Lamma Island
Lamma Island , also known as Pok Liu Chau or simply Pok Liu , is the third largest island in Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.-Name:...
, Po Toi Island and Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok
Chek Lap Kok was an island in the western waters of Hong Kong. Together with the smaller Lam Chau, it was leveled and merged via land reclamation into the platform for the current Hong Kong International Airport, which opened for commercial operations in 1998...
.
Its tadpoles and eggs are susceptible to predation by the introduced mosquitofish
Mosquitofish
The mosquitofish is a species of freshwater fish, also commonly, if ambiguously, known by its generic name, gambusia. It is sometimes called the western mosquitofish, to distinguish it from the eastern mosquitofish . It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes...
, and it is only able to breed in places the fish has yet to colonise. The frog breeds in shallow water from early March to September. The male has a shrill staccato call. The female glues up to 120 eggs onto submerged plant debris, stones or vegetation. The tadpoles, brown in colour, require 4 to 6 weeks to metamorphose in captivity.
Adults feed on termites, and such small insects as cricket
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
s and arachnids such as spiders. The frog is strictly nocturnal
Nocturnal animal
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal"....
. It lives for approximately 3 years in the wild, but the female is reproductively active only for 2 breeding seasons.
Discovery and conservation
Romer's Tree Frog was named after the late J. D. Romer, who first discovered it in a cave on Lamma Island in 1952. That population disappeared in 1953 due to the collapse of the cave. Once thought to be extinct, the frog was re-discovered on the island in 1984.Over 200 individuals of the species were rescued from Chek Lap Kok in 1992, before the construction of the Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial...
. The captives were bred successfully and the offspring were released into 8 selected sites in Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
and New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
. The frogs in 7 of the sites survived. Surprisingly, a very small number of the creatures also survives in Chek Lap Kok.
An endangered species, Romer's Tree Frog is protected under the law of Hong Kong (Wild Animals Protection Ordinance, Cap. 170). Part of Ngong Ping
Ngong Ping
Ngong Ping is a highland in the western part of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It hosts Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha amidst the hills which is about 34 m tall. There are many hills nearby which are also an attraction to tourists. It is now the terminus of the cable car ride Ngong Ping Cable...
in Lantau, a site that supports the largest population of the frog, has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest (Hong Kong)
Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a special area to protect wildlife, habitats and geographic features based on scientic interest in Hong Kong. Scientic interests are special features relating to animal life, plant life, geology and/or geography...
in May 1999.
Multimedia
- Watch the episode 香港蛙蛙叫 in the series 山水傳奇 produced by RTHK (in Cantonese, with standard Chinese subtitles)
- Listen the slide-by-slide presentation, A successful conservation & reintroduction program for Chirixalus romeri, Romer’s Tree Frog in Hong Kong, made by Chris Banks from Zoos Victoria during the Husbandry and Hygiene Conference in 2004.
External links
- An introduction by the WWFWorld Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
Hong Kong - An introduction by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of HKSAR
- Philautus romeri in Hong Kong: a frog re-introduction to a degraded tropical landscape (an article written by the researchers from the University of Hong KongThe University of Hong KongThe University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Its motto is "Sapientia et Virtus" in Latin, meaning "wisdom and virtue", and "" in Chinese...
)