List of amphibians of Hong Kong
There are 24 species of amphibians in Hong Kong, with one species thought to be locally extinct. There is one amphibian species, Liuixalus romeri, endemic to Hong Kong. Amphibian fauna of Hong Kong fauna does not include any caecilians.
The most common amphibians one is likely to encounter are the Asian common toad, brown tree frog and banded bullfrog.
List of amphibians
Order [Caudata]
Family [Salamandridae] (salamanders)
Subfamily [Pleurodelinae] (newts)
- Hong Kong warty newt - once believed to be endemic species in Hong Kong, but was found to also occur in Guangdong Province.
Order Anura">Anura (frog)">Anura (frogs and toads)
Family [Bufonidae] (toads)
- Asian common toad - most widespread of the Hong Kong amphibians
Family [Megophryidae] (litter frogs)
- Leaf-litter toad
- Short-legged toad
Family [Dicroglossidae] (fork-tongued frogs)
- Paddy frog
- Chinese bullfrog - sold as edible frog in Hong Kong and China.
- Big-headed frog
- Rough-skinned floating frog - locally extinct in Hong Kong, with plans to reintroduce the same species from Hainan, China.
- Giant spiny frog - potentially sold as edible frog in mainland China
- Lesser spiny frog
Family [Ranidae] (True frogs)
- Hong Kong cascade frog - once believed to be an endemic species of Hong Kong, but found to occur in Daya Bay, Guangdong.
- South China cascade frog
- Günther's frog
- Brown wood frog
- Green cascade frog
- Three-striped grass frog
- Two-striped grass frog
Family [Rhacophoridae] (gliding frogs)
- Romer's tree frog - endemic to Hong Kong.
- *This species was considered as Philautus romeri. A study to review the 177 nominal species in the genus Philautus moved Romer's tree frog from the genus Philautus to Chirixalus since species in Philautus do not have a free-living tadpoles stage.
- Brown tree frog
Family [Microhylidae] (narrow-mouthed frogs)
- Spotted narrow-mouthed frog
- Banded bullfrog
- Butler's pigmy frog
- Ornate pigmy frog
- *This species has recently undergone genetic boundary divisions and definition changes. Previously Microhyla ornata was listed as occurring in Hong Kong, but now this species is listed as restricted to the Indian subcontinent and Microhyla fissipes is the Southeast Asia and Chinese species. Most online data still report Microhyla ornata for Hong Kong.
- Marbled pigmy frog
Threats to Hong Kong amphibians
Despite their semi-terrestrial mode of life, amphibians must breed in water. Rapid development in Hong Kong has resulted in the loss of many low-lying wetlands which were once important habitats; this has led to a severe decline in the populations of certain lowland species, such as the rough-skinned floating frog, which inhabited the once-abundant, but no longer existing paddy fields in Tung Chung. It is now thought to be locally extinct.Pollution of water bodies and acid rain also affect species's survival. In general, the diversity of amphibians decreases as the water pollution increases. Only some hardier, pollution-tolerant species, such as Günther's frog and the Asian common toad, can thrive in polluted habitats.
Some exotic/market amphibian species are occasionally seen in the countryside, such as the American bullfrog. Some are deliberately released during Buddhist ceremonies. These released animals can adversely affect the local ecosystem and native fauna, as they may prey on, compete with, or spread disease to the native amphibian fauna.