Pulchrana baramica (Boettger, 1900)

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 54-55

Pulchrana baramica (Boettger, 1900) — Native.

Rana baramica Boettger, 1900: 391 . Lectotype: SMF 4331 (formerly SMF 1069.1 a), designated by Mertens (1967: 44). Type locality: “Baramfluss in Nord-Borneo” [= Baram River], Sarawak, East Malaysia.

Golden-eared Rough-sided Frog

( Figure 6H ; Upper Seletar Reservoir Park)

Singapore records.

Rana glandulosa (part)— Flower, 1896: 905.— Flower, 1900: 897.—A.L. Butler, 1903: 200.— Boulenger, 1912: 236–237.—van Kampen, 1923: 194–195.

Rana (Hylarana) grandulosa (part)— Bourret, 1942: 364.

Rana baramica (part)— Inger, 1966: 160, 162, 187.—Inger, 1996: 561.

Rana glandulosa (non Boulenger, 1882)—K.P. Lim, 1994d: 15 (MacRitchie North Forest; Sime Road Forest).—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 399 (MacRitchie North Forest; Upper Seletar North Forest).—T.M. Leong & L.M. Chou, 1999: 108–109.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 144.

Rana baramica —Chan-ard et al., 1999: 17.—T.M. Leong et al., 2003: 17–27.—N. Baker, 2005: 9.— Bickford et al., 2010: 121.—T.M. Leong, 2011: 20, 22, 23.

Hylarana baramica —K.K.P. Lim & T.M. Leong, 2008: 264.— Agoh, 2011: 2.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 434.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 62, 159.—Matsui et al., 2012: 43.—R. Subaraj, 2015: 52 (Upper Seletar Peninsula [= USNF]).—S. Subaraj, 2015: 3 (Upper Seletar Peninsula [= USNF]).— S.M. Chong et al., 2018: 253.

Pulchrana baramica —N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 62, 159 (Pulau Tekong; Western Catchment Area).— K.K.P. Lim et al., 2016: 173 (Pulau Tekong).—Goldberg et al., 2017: 230.— Leo et al., 2020: 255.

Remarks. Pulchrana baramica and P. laterimaculata occur sympatrically in Singapore, and have a complicated taxonomic history. Prior to, and even after their formal descriptions (Boettger 1901; Barbour & Noble 1916), frogs in Singapore resembling either species were recognised as Pulchrana glandulosa ( Flower 1896; Butler 1904; Boulenger 1912). Finding no diagnostic characters, Inger (1966) synonymised P. laterimaculata with P. baramica , and stated that the Singapore specimens of P. glandulosa examined by Boulenger (1920) were P. baramica . ( Inger 1966). Under this scheme, only one species was known in Singapore, P. baramica , but this name actually referred to specimens representing P. laterimaculata ( Lim & Lim 2002) . As we were unable to examine the NHMUK specimens referenced by Inger (1966), we are unable to confirm whether they are P. baramica or P. laterimaculata . Later, on 29 September 1993, several individuals of P. glandulosa (= P. baramica ) were discovered for the first time at MNF (Lim 1994d). From then on, P. baramica (= P. laterimaculata ) and P. glandulosa (= P. baramica ) were recognised (Teo & Rajathurai, 1997; Lim & Lim 2002). This error in classification persisted until Leong et al. (2003) redescribed P. laterimaculata as a distinct species from P. baramica , having perceived differences in call types and morphology. Subsequent publications regarding Singapore have corrected this mistake (e.g., Baker & Lim 2012). Examination of museum specimens informs of earlier occurrences of P. baramica with the earliest being 1899 collected during the Skeat Expedition (UMZC R.16490), followed by 1903 (USNM 34514) and 1974 (ZRC.1.1400–ZRC1.1402). Pulchrana baramica is seldom reported, with the last published records being from PT in November 2011 ( Lim et al. 2016) and USNF in 2015 (R. Subaraj 2015; S. Subaraj 2015). The individual featured in Figure 6H was photographed at USRP on 19 December 2022 (A. Figueroa pers. obs.).

Occurrence. Wide-ranging. Uncommon.

Singapore conservation status. Vulnerable.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2021].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality) : BMNH 1895.1.8.13–96 (no date); Bukit Timah Nature Reserve : BMNH 1904.9 .9.7 (no date); Mandai Orchid Garden [= MBP] : ZRC.1.12568 (22-Nov-2006) , ZRC.1.12569 (29-Nov-2006) ; Nee Soon Swamp Forest : ZRC.1.1400– ZRC.1.1402 (09-Dec-1974) , ZRC.1.4761 (17-Jun-2000) ; Rifle Range Road: ZRC.1.5279 (03-Aug-2000) ; Sime Road Forest : ZRC.1.3491 (08-Jan-1999) , ZRC.1.5199 (22-Jul-2000) , ZRC.1.6107:6108 (05-Jan-2001) , ZRC.1.6109– ZRC.1.6111, ZRC.1.6116 (12-Jan-2001) , ZRC.1.9178 (19-Jan-2002) , ZRC.1.10034– ZRC.1.10035 (15-Aug-2002) , ZRC.1.10402– ZRC.1.10403 (15-Jan-2003) ; Upper Seletar Swamp Forest [ NSSF] : ZRC.1.6291– ZRC.1.6293 (06-Mar-2001) ; Western Catchment Area : ZRC.1.12118 (26-Sep-2007) .

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): USNM; Bukit Timah Nature Reserve: UMZC; Nee Soon Rifle Range [= NSSF]: BPBM.

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—MacRitchie North Forest—Mandai Bird Park—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Pulau Tekong—Rifle Range Road—Sime Road Forest—Upper Seletar North Forest— Upper Seletar Reservoir Park—Western Catchment Area.

Figures

FIGURE 6. A) Microhyla cf. butleri, B) Microhyla cf. heymonsi, C) Microhyla mantheyi, D) Microhyla cf. mukhlesuri, E) Micryletta subaraji, F) Chalcorana labialis, G) Hylarana erythraea, and H) Pulchrana baramica. Photographs by: Kelvin K.P. Lim [A–B, G], Alex Figueroa [C–D, F], and Law Ing Thong [E, H].