''Sabahphrynus'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus of amphibians in the family

Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad This category contains both species commonly called toads, and the true toads from the family Bufonidae. Animals by common name Frogs ...

. The sole species is ''Sabahphrynus maculatus'', also known as the spotted Asian tree toad or Sabah earless toad. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java Isl ...

where it is only known from

Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory ...

East Malaysia East Malaysia (), or the Borneo States, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia on and near the island of Borneo, the world's third-largest island. Near the coast of Sabah is a small archipelago called Labuan. East Malaysia li ...

Taxonomy

''Sabahphrynus'', as currently understood, results from recognizing two little-known species, ''Pedostibes maculatus'' and ''Ansonia anotis'', as conspecific. This taxon seems to be more closely related to '' Leptophryne'', ''

Ingerophrynus ''Ingerophrynus'' is a genus of true toads with 12 species. The genus is found in southern Yunnan and Southeast Asia; from Myanmar and Indochina to peninsular Thailand and Malaya, Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Nias Island, Sulawesi, and the Philippine ...

'', and ''

Didynamipus The four-digit toad or dwarf toad (''Didynamipus sjostedti'') is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is found in Bioko (Equatorial Guinea), southwestern Cameroon, and southeastern Nigeria. It is the only species in the genus ''Didynamip ...

'' than to '' Ansonia'' and ''

Pedostibes The Malabar tree toad (''Pedostibes tuberculosus''), or warty Asian tree toad, is a species of toad found in forests along the Western Ghats of great Karnataka or Deccan. It is a small species and is found in wet tree hollows or leaf bases con ...

'', although its exact closest relatives remain uncertain. In addition to being genetically a distinct lineage among Southeast Asian bufonids, it is also morphologically unique: it lacks middle-ear structures and tympanum.

Description

''Sabahphrynus maculatus'' males grow to at least and females to in snout–vent length. The head has no bony crests and the

parotoid gland The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of toads and some frogs and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known collective ...

s are absent. The outer finger tips are expanded into spatulate discs. The subarticular tubercles are present, but weak. The webbing of toe is moderately developed. The males lack vocal sac opening and mandibular spines. The dorsum, at least in males, is light green.

Habitat and distribution

''Sabahphrynus maculatus'' are found in the western lower montane Sabah, Borneo. Specimens are known from the

Kinabalu Park Kinabalu Park ( ms, Taman Kinabalu), established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and the role as one of ...

and

Crocker Range National Park Crocker Range National Park ( ms, Taman Negara Banjaran Crocker) was established in 1984, although the area had previously been under protection as a forest reserve. It covers the north-south Crocker Range, of 1200-1800 metre mountains in Sabah ...

. They occur near small streams, perching a few metres above ground on tree trunks as well as on logs and rocks adjacent to streams.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10812166 Bufonidae Monotypic amphibian genera Amphibians of Asia Amphibians of Malaysia Endemic fauna of Borneo Endemic fauna of Malaysia Amphibians described in 1890 Amphibians of Borneo