IUCN Red List Category: LC (Draft 2015-02-16)
Animalia | Chordata | Vertebrata | Amphibia | Anura | Microhylidae | Kaloula | Kaloula baleata |
Taxonomic notes: The taxonomy of the Philippine population of this species warrants a review. The subspecies Kaloula baleata goshi, an endemic to Little Andaman and South Andaman Islands, India, is included within K. baleata for this assessment.
This species is widely distributed throughout Malaysia (including Sabah, Sarawak and Phuket Island), central and western Indonesia (Nias, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Timor, Sulawesi, Kabaena, Muna, Butung and Wowoni), and Palawan in the Philippines. There is a possibly isolated population near Tak in western Thailand. The subspecies K.b. goshi is endemic to Little Andaman and South Andaman Islands, India and is assessed here as part of K. baleata. This species was previously believed to have been found in southern Peninsular Thailand, however recent findings have identified these populations as a new species Kaloula indochinensis (Chan et al. 2013). It has been recorded up to 800m asl, in the Andaman Islands it is known to occur at sea level.
This species inhabits lowland rainforests and is also tolerant of disturbed habitats. It has been collected in flood plains and has been observed in arboreal situations up to 6m above the ground. In the Andaman Islands it is reported to be a tree-hole nester. It is known to breed at the beginning of the rainy season. Tadpoles do not feed and develop rapidly.
This species is harvested for human consumption in Vietnam (T. Nguyen pers. comm., October 2013).
No significant threats are presently known to this species. In the Andaman Islands it is threatened by the loss of the preferred habitat of old ficus trees.
There are no conservation measures needed for this widespread, common species. Its range includes several protected areas. The subspecies endemic is found in Mount Harriet National Park, South Andaman Island, India.
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, and its presumed large population.
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