A checklist of amphibians at Lubuk Semilang Recreational Park, Langkawi Island, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia

Study Extent

This research was conducted at the lowland dipterocarp forest of Lubuk Semilang Recreational Park, Langkawi Island (06º 21' 47.97'' N – 99º 47' 30.17'' E, elevation < 100 m a.s.l.) (fig. 1) Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia, between December 2018 and June 2019. Twenty–five consecutive visits were made. Samplings of amphibian species were performed at eight different habitat types: the lower, middle and upper part of Sungai Korok, small streams beside Mardi and Kg. Buku, marsh wetland, slow–moving stream, and road trail.

Sampling

Tadpoles and egg clutches were collected between 10:00 and 13:00 h using a scoop net, and they were then placed in plastic containers. Amphibian individuals were captured between 20:00 and 23:00 h by means of a Visual Encounter Survey (VES), by hand or a scoop net, and with the help of headlights and flashlights. Two to three field members were involved in the surveys. Each live specimen was photographed in situ using a compact camera (Nikon COOLPIX L840) before being collected for identification

Quality Control

Anuran species, including tadpoles, were identified based on their morphological characteristics, following by Smith (1930), Berry (1975), Inger et al. (2017), Norhayati et al. (2009), and Norhayati (2017). Taxonomic nomenclature was based on Frost (2019).

Method steps

1. Measurements taken for each individual were: weight (WT), tibia length (TL) (length of the outer surface of the flexed knee to the heel/tibiotarsal inflection), snout–vent length (SVL) (length from the tip of snout to posterior margin of the vent), and head width (HW) (the widest part of the head or angle of the jaws) (Watters et al., 2016). Measurements were made using electronic scales and a caliper. We recorded habitat characteristics, including the type of vegetation, river width, water current flow, and canopy–covering. Microhabitat characteristics, which include horizontal position, vertical position and substrates, were also determined (Heyer et al., 1994). Horizontal position refers to the shortest distance of the species from any water bodies (streams or ponds). Vertical position refers to subsurface on the exposed soil surface (on a rock or on the plant), while substrate refers to the surface area that the individual sits on at the time of capture (rock, vegetation, log, mineral soil or dead leaf) (Zainudin, 2009; Zainudin et al., 2017). We also recorded abiotic conditions such as humidity, temperature, and weather using AccuWeather application (android).

1. Bufonidae
   rank: family
2. Dicroglossidae
   rank: family
3. Megophryidae
   rank: family
4. Microhylidae
   rank: family
5. Ranidae
   rank: family
6. Rhacophoridae
   rank: family
7. Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799)
   rank: species
8. Phrynoidis asper (Gravenhorst, 1829)
   rank: species
9. Fejervarya limnocharis (Gravenhorst, 1829)
   rank: species
10. Limnonectes blythii (Boulenger, 1920)
    rank: species
11. Limnonectes hascheanus (Stoliczka, 1870)
    rank: species
12. Limnonectes macrognathus (Boulenger, 1917)
    rank: species
13. Occidozyga martensii (Peters, 1867)
    rank: species
14. Leptobrachium smithi (Matsui, Nabhitabhata and Panha, 1999)
    rank: species
15. Megophrys aceras (Boulenger, 1903)
    rank: species
16. Kaloula pulchra (Gray, 1831)
    rank: species
17. Microhyla berdmorei (Blyth, 1856)
    rank: species
18. Microhyla butleri (Boulenger, 1900)
    rank: species
19. Chalcorana labialis (Boulenger, 1887)
    rank: species
20. Hylarana erythraea (Schlegel, 1837)
    rank: species
21. Odorrana hosii (Boulenger, 1891)
    rank: species
22. Pulchrana glandulosa (Boulenger, 1882)
    rank: species
23. Pulchrana laterimaculata (Barbour and Noble, 1916)
    rank: species
24. Polypedates discantus (Rujirawan, Stuart and Aowphol, 2013)
    rank: species

Lubuk Semilang Recreational Park is located at the base of Gunung Raya Forest Reserve, Langkawi, Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. This forest covers 4,930 hectares and was declared a permanent forest in 1941 (Kedah Forestry Department, 2014). Lubuk Semilang Recreational Park is located beside Kampung Buku Malaysia and is approximately eight kilometres from the nearest town, Kuah. The stream at Lubuk Semilang, Sungai Korok, originates from the highest mountain of Langkawi, Gunung Raya (881 m a.s.l.). It flows into Sungai Kok, then into a larger stream, Sungai Melaka, before draining into the Straits of Malacca. In the Lubuk Semilang area, Sungai Korok is approximately two km long and it has a two–tier waterfall that is very popular for recreational and outdoor activities