Diagnostic Characteristics:
Examined Specimens: Three adult females TYT 2010.27 (SVL 22.43 mm), TYT 2010.32 (SVL 24.17 mm), and TYT 2010.33 (SVL 25.87 mm) collected in June 2010, and one adult male TYT 2012.17 (SVL 21.52 mm). This amphibian species is small in size, belonging to the Microhylidae family (narrow-mouthed frogs).
The body is slender and triangular in shape. The head is wider than it is long (HW 5.86-8.1 mm; HL 5.56-7.44 mm). The snout is slightly rounded and a bit longer than the eye diameter (SL 3.18-3.38 mm, ED 2.12-2.36 mm). The loreal region (area between the eye and nostril) is slightly oblique. The nostrils are located closer to the tip of the snout than to the eye. The internarial distance is similar to the interorbital distance and wider than the upper eyelid width (IND 2.22-2.49 mm, IOD 2.13-2.62 mm, UEW 1.38-1.64 mm). Vomerine teeth are absent. The tongue is long and rounded posteriorly. The tympanum is hidden.
Fingers are free. The hind limbs are long, with prominent subarticular tubercles. The inner metatarsal tubercle and outer metatarsal tubercle are small. Toes have webbing, but it is not well-developed. When the limbs are folded along the body, the tibiotarsal articulation reaches nearly to the snout tip. The body color ranges from yellow to pale gray-brown with darker markings on the back, with bilateral symmetrical dark markings. A thin white stripe with a small black spot runs along the midline of the back. Dark, prominent stripes extend along each side of the body, originating from the snout, passing through the eyes, and extending along the flanks to the groin. The lateral surfaces of the hind limbs have thin, dark transverse stripes.
Biology and Ecology:
This species is commonly found in midland and mountainous regions, in grassy areas near forests, valleys, and wet rice fields, and along the edges of pools with decaying vegetation, and is usually terrestrial. The diet of this species consists of small insects such as ants and termites. The breeding season is from March to May each year, during which they lay eggs in small clumps that float on standing water.
Distribution:
This species has a wide distribution throughout Vietnam, including Lạng Sơn, Ninh Bình, Hà Nội (Ba Vì), Huế, Kontum, Gia Lai, and Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa – Vũng Tàu (Núi Dinh) provinces.