Kaloula pulchra

Asian Painted Frogs Kaloula pulchra
Asian Painted Frog on Ko Samet

Banded Bull Frog Kaloula pulchra
Asian Painted Frog out at night in Chatuchak

Painted Bullfrog Kaloula pulchra
Asian Painted Frog found under rocks in Suan Luang

Asian Painted Frog Kaloula pulchra with skin fold
Asian Painted Frog found under board on Ko Samet

Chubby Frog Kaloula pulchra from top
Dorsal view of Asian Painted Frog found under board in Rangsit

Painted Bullfrog Kaloula pulchra
Asian Painted Frog hiding in tree in Bang Kapi

Asian Painted Frog Kaloula pulchra at night with Common Indian Toad
Asian Painted Frog meets Common Indian Toad in Pathum Thani Province

Asian Bullfrog Kaloula pulchra calling
Asian Painted Frog calling near fish pond in Chiang Mai Province

Asian Painted Frog Kaloula pulchra calling
Asian Painted Frog calling in Prachuap Khiri Khan (photo by Mourits Horst Løvholt)

Asian Painted Frogs Kaloula pulchra mating
Asian Painted Frogs mating in Prachuap Khiri Khan (photo by Mourits Horst Løvholt)

juvenile Asian Painted Frog Kaloula pulchra
Juvenile Asian Painted Frog active during day in light rain on Ko Samet

Banded Bullfrog Kaloula pulchra metamorph
Asian Painted Frog metamorph found at edge of marsh in Chiang Mai Province

Asian Painted Frog  Kaloula pulchra metamorphs
Asian Painted Frog metamorphs on edge of pond in Chiang Mai Province

English name: Asian Painted Frog (aka “Asian Bullfrog”, “Banded Bullfrog”, or “Chubby Frog”)
Scientific name: Kaloula pulchra
Thai name: Ung-ang ban, Ung yan

Description: Up to 8cm long. A heavyset, short-legged frog with a short broad head and blunt snout. Adults are dark brown with a broad tan or cream stripe on each side. The underbelly is a dirty white. Juveniles are grey with various black and brown markings.

Tadpoles are dark and fat with a very thin tail and transparent tail-fins.

Call: Its loud, easily-recognizable call resembles a cattle bellow.

Similar Species: Inornate Froglet is flatter, has distinct black markings, and will hop around like a flea when exposed.
Mukhlesur’s Narrowmouth Frog is smaller, has ornate markings on the back, and a pointed snout.

Habitat: Can be found almost anywhere with sufficient moisture, including overgrown lots, yards, parks, forests, wetlands, rice paddies, and even parking lots. Spends the day buried under rocks, logs, leaves, trash, or within underground burrows. It is active at night, often wandering into homes as it forages for insects. Because its tadpoles develop quickly, it is able to reproduce even in areas with temporary puddles that only last a few weeks.

Place in the ecosystem: The Asian Painted Frog eats ants and termites. It can be eaten by snakes, monitors, and humans. I have witnessed one being preyed upon by a juvenile monitor.

Danger to humans: This frog will excrete a slightly toxic substance from their skin while held, but the poison is weak and poses no danger to people. You will notice it on your skin when your fingers start sticking together after handling the frogs.

Conservation status and threats: Though this species is collected both for the pet trade and for food, it has adapted well to urban expansion and appears to be thriving in the wild. It sometimes ends up as an accidental stowaway on shipping vessels and invasive individuals or populations have been found in the Philippines, Singapore, Borneo, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and Guam. It is considered a pest by some standards.

Interesting facts: During the mating season the male frogs float in the water making loud cow-like “honks” to attract the females. The air they suck in in order to make this noise, combined with their already rotund appearance, gives the impression of floating beach balls with legs. The eggs they lay after mating are very small and form a film on the surface of the water.

This frog has spade-like growths on its back feet that assist it in digging backwards into the soil.

References:
Animal Life Resource (Kaloula pulchra): Species Accounts
AmphibiaWeb: Kaloula pulchra
Wikipedia: Banded Bullfrog
Ecology Asia: Banded Bullfrog
The IUCN Red List: Kaloula pulchra
An Asian species of frog (Kaloula pulchra, Microhylidae) intercepted at Perth International Airport, Australia
Online Field Guide: Kaloula pulchra
Hong Kong Amphibians and Reptiles (2nd Edition)