Asian Toadfrogs: Megophryidae

Physical characteristics: The Bana leaf litter frog has a body that looks too big for its skinny legs. It has a wide head with huge, bulging eyes. The eyes are black on the bottom, white on top, and circled with a thin, white circle. Its back is dark brown with tiny, red spots along the sides and also on its hind legs. Its front and back legs are brown with darker bands continuing down onto its toes. It has a white-spotted gray underside. Adult females can grow to 3.1 to 3.3 inches (8 to 8.4 centimeters) long from the snout to the rump, but adult males typically only reach 2.3 to 2.9 inches (5.7 to 7.3 centimeters) in length.

Geographic range: The Bana leaf litter frog lives in the Gia Lai province of south-central Vietnam and in the Annamite Mountains of Laos.

By day, the Bana leaf litter frog hides under the leaves that coat the forest ground. It comes out at night to wander about on land. Often, this species actually walks, rather than hops. (Illustration by Bruce Worden. Reproduced by permission.)

Habitat: The Bana leaf litter frog lives in thick, evergreen primary forests, which are forests that have never been cut down. These forests are located where the land is higher—between 2,620 and 5,240 feet (800 to 1,600 meters) above sea level.

Diet: The Bana leaf litter frog probably eats insects.

Behavior and reproduction: By day, this frog hides under the leaves that coat the forest ground. It comes out at night to wander about on land. Often, this species actually walks, rather than hops. Unlike many other frogs that mate and lay their eggs in the water, this frog does both on land. People have heard lone males calling from beneath logs and in burrows that are nowhere near a stream. More studies will provide additional information about this species.

Bana leaf litter frogs and people: People rarely see or hear this nighttime frog.

Conservation status: The World Conservation Union (IUCN) considers this species to be Vulnerable, which means that it faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. In Vietnam, its habitat is disappearing as people clear the land for farming or through logging. ∎