Singapore Amphibians

Class Amphibia

There are 32 species of amphibians that can be found in Singapore¹.

Caecilians (Order Gymnophiona)

Asian Caecilians (Family Ichthyophiidae)

Sumatran Striped Caecilian Ichthyophis paucisulcus2	Singapore Black Caecilian Ichthyophis singaporensis3
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Frogs and Toads (Order Anura)

Megophryid Frogs (Family Megophryidae)

Black-eyed Litter Frog Leptobrachium nigrops	Malayan Horned Frog Megophrys nasuta

Toads (Family Bufonidae)

Asian Common Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus	Four-ridged Toad Ingerophrynus quadriporcatus	Saint Andrew's Cross Toadlet Pelophryne ingeri
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Fork-tongued Frogs (Family Dicroglossidae)

Crab-eating Frog Fejervarya cancrivora	Field Frog Fejervarya limnocharis	Malayan Giant Frog Limnonectes blythii
Malesian Frog Limnonectes malesianus	Masked Swamp Frog Limnonectes paramacrodon	Rhinoceros Frog Limnonectes plicatellus
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Yellow-bellied Puddle Frog Occidozyga sumatrana

True Frogs (Family Ranidae)

Copper-cheeked Frog Chalcorana labialis	Common Greenback Hylarana erythraea	American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus
Golden-eared Rough-sided Frog Pulchrana baramica	Masked Rough-sided Frog Pulchrana laterimaculata	Günther's Frog Sylvirana guentheri
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Tree Frogs (Family Rhacophoridae)

Blue-spotted Bush Frog Leptomantis cyanopunctatus	Spotted Tree Frog Nyctixalus pictus	Four-lined Tree Frog Polypedates leucomystax
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Thorny Tree Frog Theloderma horridum
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Narrow-mouthed Frogs (Family Microhylidae)

Black-spotted Sticky Frog Kalophrynus limbooliati	Banded Bullfrog Kaloula pulchra	Painted Chorus Frog Microhyla butleri
East Asian Ornate Chorus Frog Microhyla fissipes	Dark-sided Chorus Frog Microhyla heymonsi	Manthey's Chorus Frog Microhyla mantheyi
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Inornate Chorus Frog Micryletta inornata4
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Rain Frogs (Family Eleutherodactylidae)

Greenhouse Frog
Eleutherodactylus planirostris
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Megophryid Frogs (Family Megophryidae)

There are 2 species in Singapore - Black-eyed Litter Frog and Malayan Horned Frog.

Black-eyed Litter Frog (Leptobrachium nigrops)

It is so called for the black eyes and because it can be found in leaf litters of forests.

Dairy Farm ©Eddy Lee

Malayan Horned Frog (Megophrys nasuta)

It is so called for the sharp 'eyelids'.

Singapore Zoo ©Tan KH

Toads (Family Bufonidae)

Toads are usually distinguished from frogs by their warty skin. 3 species can be found in Singapore. The most commonly encountered is the Asian Toad. The other two, Four-ridged Toad and Saint Andrew's Cross Toadlet, are uncommonly seen.

Asian Common Toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)

It is a greyish-brownish toad with warty skin. It is common in urban areas.

©Tan GC. Chinese Garden ©Lau SY

Old Choa Chu Kang Road ©Tan KH

Four-ridged Toad (Ingerophrynus quadriporcatus)

It is a reddish toad with four distinctive ridges on the head. It hides in leaf litters.

Young ©Lau JS

Forked-tongued Frogs (Family Dicroglossidae)

Sometimes also called Fanged frogs. There are 7 species here.

It is so called because it is known to eat crabs, but it also eats insects.

Sungei Buloh ©Tan KH

Field Frog (Fejervarya limnocharis)

It is so called because it can sometimes be found in fields.

Chestnut Trail ©Eddy Lee

Malayan Giant Frog (Limnonectes blythii)

It is also known as Blyth's Giant Frog.

Singapore Zoo ©Tan KH

Malesian Frog (Limnonectes malesianus)

It is an uncommon forest frog in Singapore. It has a distinctive "W" on the upper back.

©Tan GC. Sime Forest ©Lau JS

Yellow-bellied Puddle Frog (Occidozyga sumatrana)

As its name suggests, it has a yellow belly.

True Frogs (Family Ranidae)

There are 6 species here - 4 native, 2 introduced. The American Bullfrog exist in Singapore because of the frog leg industry, and it is now common in ponds. The Günther's Frog is also introduced, although the source is unknown⁵. The natives are mainly found in our forests.

Copper-cheeked Frog (Chalcorana labialis)

It is a common forest frog in Singapore. It is so called for the brown patch behind the eye.

Typical Copper-cheeked Frog at Lower Peirce. Paler specimen ©Tan GC

Common Greenback (Hylarana erythraea)

It looks like a Copper-cheeked Frog, but the dark stripe on the head side extends all the way down the flank. Above this black stripe is a pale stripe. The back is green, hence its name. It is also known as the Green Paddy Frog.

Sungei Buloh. ©Ben Lee. ©Tan KH

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)

It is a common urban frog in Singapore. It is not native, but came from the frog leg industry.

With Blue Sprite damselfly at Bishan Park ©Eddy Lee. Young at Fort Canning ©Lau SY

Tree Frogs (Family Rhacophoridae)

These are so called because they live in trees. 4 species can be found in Singapore - Spotted tree Frog, Four-lined tree Frog, Blue-spotted Bush Frog and Thorny Tree Frog. The most common is the Four-lined Tree Frog.

Four-lined Tree Frog (Polypedates leucomystax)

It is so called for the four brown lines down its back and its arboreal habit.

Hindhede Nature Park ©John Spencer. Rifle Range ©Eddy Lee

Narrow-mouthed Frogs (Family Microhylidae)

These frogs are so called because some of them have a narrow mouth. However, there are also typical looking frogs within this family. There are 7 species here. The most common is the introduced urban Banded Bullfrog.

Black-spotted Sticky Frog (Kalophrynus limbooliati)

Formerly thought to be K. pleurostigma, but is now known to be K. limbooliati instead⁶. This is a forest frog. It has a distinctive shape with a distinctive black spot on each side of the lower flank.

Chestnut Trail ©Eddy Lee

Banded Bullfrog (Kaloula pulchra)

This is a common urban frog in Singapore. It is not native. The young looks different from the adult and has a wholly black back and lacks the thick side band.

Adult at Sungei Buloh ©Tan KH

Painted Chorus Frog (Microhyla butleri)

This small frog can be found in forests as well as parks. It has a distinctive back pattern.

Mandai ©Eddy Lee

Dark-sided Chorus Frog (Microhyla heymonsi)

This small frog can be found in forests as well as parks. It is so called for the thick dark flank bands.

Malaysia ©Tan KH

References

1. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/biodiversity/wildlife-in-singapore/species-list/amphibian
2. A new locality in Singapore for the caecilian, Ichthyophis paucisulcus
3. Singapore Caecilian
4. Discovery of the inornate chorus frog, Micryletta inornata, in Singapore
5. Occurrence of Günther's frog, Hylarana guentheri (Amphibia: Aura: Ranidae) in Singapore
6. Kalophrynus limbooliati Matsui, Nishikawa, Belabut, Ahmad, and Yong, 2012