ASSEMBLAGES OF FROGS SPECIES AT BALAMBANGAN ISLAND, SABAH, MALAYSIA
Abstract
Borneo is well known as a hotspot for biodiversity, yet species assemblages at smaller islands in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, are not well documented. The survey of frogs in Balambangan Island, which is situated at the west coast of Sabah, was the first attempt to look at the occurrence of frogs at smaller islands in the state. Sampling of frogs was conducted at the coastal areas of Kampung Selamat and limestone forest for four nights sampling period. Visual encounter survey and transect line were used to sample the frogs which were captured by hand. A total of seven species of 32 individuals were captured. This was only about 8% of the total species that occurs on the mainland Sabah. The island was dominated by the ranids (65%), rhacophoridae (22%) and microhylids (13%). Bufonids and megophryids were absent. The Mangrove frog, Fejervarya cancrivora (9 individuals) and the Lesser swamp frog, Limnonectes paramacrodon (8 individuals) were dominant on this island. No new species and endemism were noted on this island. The results from this preliminary study did not support the initial belief that the island contains high levels of endemism. On the contrary, the results appear to imply recent isolation from the Sabah mainland. Thus, a more detailed study including genetic diversity should be conducted to cover more areas on the main island and other smaller islands surrounding the Borneo Island and to obtain overall picture of biogeography of the frog species.References
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