Tiger striped frog
【Animal Profile】:
The tiger-striped frog (Hoplobatrachus rugulosus) is a genus of tiger-striped frogs in the family Hoplobatrachus. The body is large, the male frog is 66-98 mm long, the female frog is 87-121 mm long, and the weight can reach about 250 grams. The head length is greater than the width of the head, and the snout is blunt-pointed; The anterior edge of the lower jaw has two dentate bony processes; The pupil is transversely oval, the distance between the eyes is less than the width of the upper eyelid, and the tympanic membrane is about 3/4 of the eye diameter. The back of the body is rough, without dorsal folds, the back has different lengths, and is arranged intermittently into longitudinal skin edges, with small wart grains scattered between them, and the longitudinal skin edges of the tibia are obvious; The side of the head, the dorsal surface of the hands, feet and ventral surfaces are smooth. The ends of the fingers and toes are blunt, without grooves; The hindlimbs are shorter, and the tibial and tarsal joints reach the eyes to the shoulders when the anterior extension is close, and the left and right heels meet or overlap slightly; First, the free lateral margin membrane of the five toes is well developed; Full webbing between the toes. The dorsal surface is mostly yellow-green or gray-brown, scattered with irregular dark greenish-brown markings; Transverse lines are evident on the extremities; The ventral surface of the body and limbs is fleshy colored, with brown spots on the pharynx and thorax, and slightly light blue on the back of the chest and abdomen, with or without spots. The gray wedding mat on the first finger of the male is well developed; There is 1 pair of lateral pharyngeal external vocal sacs. The eggs are about 1.8 mm in diameter; the animals are extremely dark brown and the plants are very milky white. Tiger frogs often live in rice paddies, ditches, ponds, reservoirs, swamps and other places with water below 900 meters above sea level, and their habitat changes with different life periods such as foraging, breeding, and wintering. Tiger frogs are carnivorous animals that prey mainly on insects such as locusts, butterfly moths, dragonflies, and beetles in nature, while tiger frogs and tadpoles feed on natural food such as protozoa, algae and organic debris in the water. It is native to Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. In China, it is mainly distributed in the south of the Yangtze River, as far north as Yancheng, Jiangsu.
【Life habits】:
Tiger frogs often live in rice paddies, ditches, ponds, reservoirs, swamps and other places with water below 900 meters above sea level, and their habitat changes with different life periods such as foraging, breeding, and wintering. The breeding season is mainly in the rice field and other still water, shallow water activities, when the young frogs, mostly live in stone fields, stone crevices and other caves, only the head sticks out of the hole, if there is food activity will quickly prey, if it encounters enemies will hide in the cave, in the hours after dusk, tiger striped frog activity is most frequent, especially in the evening, it is very excited. Tiger frogs are carnivorous animals that prey mainly on insects such as locusts, butterfly moths, dragonflies, and beetles in nature, while tiger frogs and tadpoles feed on natural food such as protozoa, algae and organic debris in the water. Unlike ordinary frogs, the tiger-striped frog not only preys on active food, but also directly discovers and eats stationary food without domestication. Selective about static foods, generally prefer foods with a muddy smell, such as fish, snails, earthworms, etc. Tiger frogs prey mainly at night and less during the day. Tiger-striped frogs and tadpoles metamorphose quickly, so the growth period of frogs is relatively long. Its growth rate is relatively fast, and after 4-5 months of rearing, it can reach the size of a first-class commercial frog. Tiger frogs from egg production to metamorphosis into frogs generally only about 1 month, metamorphosed frogs, in the temperature of about 30 °C, sufficient feed, proper management, weight gain is fast, daily weight gain can reach 6% of their body weight, after about 3 months of feeding, the average individual can reach more than 100 grams, large up to 150 grams.
【Distribution range】:
It is native to Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam. In China, it is mainly distributed in the south of the Yangtze River, as far north as Yancheng, Jiangsu; Including Henan (Gushi, Shangcheng, Tongbai, Luoshan, Dabie Mountain of Xinxian), Shaanxi (Langao Dabashan), Anhui (Susong, Xuancheng, Qingyang, Ningguo, Jiuhuashan and places south of the Huaihe River), Jiangsu (Yancheng, Nanjing, Suzhou, Liyang, Jiangdu), Shanghai, Zhejiang (Wenzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Longquan, Jinyun, Tiantai, Jinhua, Zhenhai, Lin'an, Yuhang, Fenghua, Wenling, Dongtoudao), Jiangxi (Jiujiang, Pingxiang, Guangfeng, Lishan, Quannan Jiulianshan), Hunan (Changsha, Hengshan, Yizhang, Yueyang, Liuyang, Ningxiang, Dayong, Yuanling, Chengbu, Xinning, Yanling, Jiangyong, Pingjiang, Xintian), Fujian (Yongtai, Zhao'an, Xiamen, Nanjing, Putian, Fuzhou, Nanping, Shunchang, Shaowu, Wuyishan, Changting, Shaxian, Fuding, Zhangzhou), Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, Taiwan, Macao, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi and Hong Kong. It has been introduced in Malaysia and the Philippines.
【Breeding method】:
The breeding period of tiger frogs is from May to September. Its reproduction, development and metamorphosis take place in the water, and frogs do not have mating instruments and mate in rice paddies, ponds or ditches before laying eggs before they begin to lay eggs. While the female lays eggs, the male drains sperm and fertilizes in water (in vitro fertilization). According to its gonadal development, tiger frogs are multiple spawning types, tiger frog eggs are multi-yellow eggs, animals are extremely black, and plants are very milky white or yellowish. The eggs produced are adhered to the surface of the water in small pieces, each with more than ten to dozens of eggs, and the eggs are mostly laid in permanent ponds or puddles.
【Protection Level】:
Listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN 2004 ver 3.1) - Not Threatened (LC).
Listed in China's 2021 National Key Protected Wildlife List (wild populations only).
In 1989, it was listed as a "Chinese National Class II. Protected Animal", protected by national laws, and is also the only frog listed in the list of wild animals under national key protection in China.
In 1996, it was included in the "China Red Book".
In 1997, it was listed as endangered by the Washington Convention (CITES).
In 2003, it was listed in the List of Rare and Endangered Species in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
In 2004, it was listed in the Red List of Species of China as a vulnerable species.
On May 20, 2015, it was listed on the Red List of Biodiversity of China - Vertebrate Volume (Reptiles) - Endangered.
In December 2021, it was listed in the third batch of "List of Aquatic Wild Animals under National Key Protection for Artificial Breeding" by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.