Japanese frogs and toads

[TJ]

Here's an interesting variation of Rhacophorus arboreus:

I'm not sure where it is from as I took this pic at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.

 

[TJ]

JAPANESE NAME: Numa-Gaeru
COMMON NAME: Indian Rice Frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rana limnocharis limnocharis

For more information on this species, see:

http://www.rieo.net/amph/frog/numa.htm

 

[TJ]

JAPANESE NAME: Nihon-Aka-Gaeru
COMMON NAME: Japanese Brown Frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rana japonica

For more information on this species, see:

http://www.rieo.net/amph/frog/nihonaka.htm

 

[TJ]

Here's another Rana ornativentris:

(this photo taken at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo)

 

[TJ]

JAPANESE NAME: Kazika-Gaeru
COMMON NAME: Kajika Frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Buergeria buergeri

For more information on this species, see:

http://www.rieo.net/amph/frog/kazika.htm

 

[kim]

Wow Tim they are really nice!

 

[TJ]

Thanks, Kim

These are from a trip I took today out to Saitama Prefecture, just northeast of Tokyo.

JAPANESE NAME: Tokyo-Daruma-Gaeru
COMMON NAME: Tokyo Daruma Pond Frog
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Rana porosa porosa

For more information on this species, see:

http://www.rieo.net/amph/frog/tkodarum.htm

(Message edited by tj on September 04, 2004)

 

[john]

I'm in love with Hyla japonica. Looks like a cross between White's tree frog and the European tree frog...

 

[aki]

Of those great pictures posted at first in this introduction of japanese Anurans, I agree with that one person who mentioned own opinion of those Rhacophorus schlegelii -specimens. At least one of those is Hyla japonica, and in my opinion that is second last picture of your complex queue. The last one is shown so tiny that my answer would be nothing else than pure guessing. First, second and third picture are representing R. schlegelii to me but in some cases, it is quite difficult to say without handling and measuring the specimens in the field. Rhacophorus schlegelii and R. arboreus have the same sympatric distribution and appearance in the main Island Honshu of Japan. Unpatterned form of R. arboreus looks quite similar with R. schlegelii and their coloration is equal. However, adult specimens can be quite easily differentiate in the field by their size. Rhacophorus schlegelii is reaching somewhere around 32-43/43-53 cm (male/female) in their SVL, and adult R. arboreus is usually always larger than that in their own sexes (Goris, R. C., and Maeda N., 2004. Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Japan. for instance).

It is most magnificent coloration of Bufo japonicus formosus I have ever seen before. It is indescribably beautiful specimen, indeed. I did not know that this kind of coloration form is found from mountainous areas and could not even imagine that B. j. formosus could be such an astonishingly beautiful piece of nature. Thank you for that interesting information.

Discussion of your photo of interestingly patterned Rhacophorus arboreus taken at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, I do not know much about how different populations vary by their coloration and pattern in different geographical locations in this particular species. However, I have understood that nominate form of this species is patterned one and it actually should look something like that. Because of this variation among the populations of this species, it is going to be interesting to see if more intense herpetological research will evaluate the status of both forms accurately than now in a near future.

The photo of unidentified (is it?) frog taken from Hyogo prefecture is not so easy at all, partly because of the photographing angle you have chosen in this photo. For the identification, always take at least three photos from different angle if possible (did you shoot more of these from that specimen?). I am a quite sure that Rana porosa brevipoda could be even good guess.

After all, nice pics you have taken Tim! Thank you of those and keep on going. Oh damn how I miss another home country of mine…

PS. Forgive my poor English…


(Message edited by aki_suzuki on January 09, 2006)