Contribution to the fauna of langbian plateau, Southern Vietnam: Amphibians and reptiles of Hon Ba nature reserve (Khanh Hoa province)

ng Sin NP (Orlov et 
al., 2008; BirdLife International, 2010), the data on amphibians and reptiles of Hon 
Ba NR remain very fragmentary. Namely, they include the detailed inventory of 
lizard fauna with some comments on snakes and turtles (Bobrov, 2006) and records 
of some frog species (Nguyen et al., 2014; Vassilieva et al., 2014). At the same time, 
the amphibian fauna of the Reserve deserves more attention because of its potential 
richness and peculiarity: at least one species (Kalophrynus honbaensis) described 
from Hon Ba (Vassilieva et al., 2014) can be currently considered as local endemic, 
and several species are known to date only from Langbian Plateau. 
Herein the preliminary data on amphibian and reptile fauna of Hon Ba Nature 
Reserve are presented. 
2. Study site and methods 
The range Hon Ba (elevations up to 1,570 m a.s.l.) forms the eastern edge of the 
Plateau Langbian relatively close to the Eastern Sea coast. This closeness and the 
influence of marine air masses ensure a rather specific local climate with increased 
humidity, which determines the singularity of Hon Ba forests (Kuznetsov et al., 2006). 
The field survey was conducted from 14 to 19 June 2013 in two forested areas: 
in the environs of the Yersin station (N 12° 07' 16"; E 108° 56' 55", approximate 
elevations 1,400-1,500 m a.s.l.) and on the slopes of Hon Ba ridge (N 12° 06' 45"; E 
108° 58' 45", approximate elevations 700-800 m a.s.l.). Both areas represent almost 
undamaged massifs of primary montane polydominant evergreen forest with the 
predominance of Fagaceae (Lithocarpus, Quercus), Elaeocarpaceae (Elaeocarpus), 
Fabaceae (Archidendron), Theaceae, Lauraceae, Illiciaceae, Dilleniaceae, 
Ebenaceae, Magnoliacea, Sapotaceae, Rubiaceae and Ericaceae (Kuznetsov et al., 
2006) and abundance of epiphytes and mosses. The rich hydrographic net is formed 
by rocky rivers, small cascade streams and temporary watercourses. Large granite 
rocks are abundant in some areas. 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 4
During the survey the temperature varied from 18 (at night) to 20-24°C (at 
day). The weather was rainy, with dense fogs. 
The inventory of amphibian and reptile fauna as well as anuran larvae was 
conducted during the day and night surveys. All collected specimens were 
photographed in life and then preserved in ethanol (for adult specimens) or formalin 
(for larvae) after the sampling for genetic analysis. While collecting the larvae of 
hollow-breeding anurans, some parameters of the tree hollows were recorded (height 
above the ground, diameter of hole, approximate water capacity). 
3. Results and discussion 
In our survey we registered 29 species of amphibians and reptiles (16 and 13, 
respectively). To give more detailed insight of the herpetofauna of the Reserve, we 
supplemented our findings by the previously published data of Bobrov (2006) 
obtained during the field survey of the Joint Vietnam-Russian Tropical Research and 
Technological Center in 2003. The compiled list of amphibian and reptile species 
recorded in Hon Ba Nature Reserve is given in the Table 1. 
Table 1. Provisional list of amphibians and reptiles found in Hon Ba Nature 
Reserve during the surveys of Joint Vietnam-Russian Tropical Research 
and Technological Center in 2003 and 2013 
№ Species Our data 2013 Bobrov, 2006 
Class AMPHIBIA 
Order Anura 
Fam. Bufonidae 
1. Ingerophrynus galeatus (Günther, 1864) + 
Fam. Megophryidae 
2. Brachytarsophrys intermedia (Smith, 1921) + 
3. Leptobrachium leucops Stuart, Rowley, Tran, Le & Hoang, 2011 + 
4. Leptobrachium pullum (Smith, 1921) (larvae) + 
5. Ophryophryne gerti Ohler, 2003 + 
6. Xenophrys major (Boulenger, 1908) + 
Fam. Rhacophoridae 
7. Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell, 1861 + 
8. Raorchestes gryllus (Smith, 1924) + 
9. Rhacophorus vampyrus Rowley, Duong, Dao, Stuart & Huy, 2010 (clutch) + 
10. Theloderma truongsonense (Orlov & Ho, 2005) + 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 5
Fam. Ranidae 
11. Hylarana attigua (Inger, Orlov & Darevsky, 
1999) 
+ 
12. Hylarana montivaga (Smith, 1921) + 
Fam. Dicroglossidae 
13. Limnonectes poilani (Bourret, 1942) + 
14. Limnonectes sp. + 
Fam. Microhylidae 
15. Kalophrynus honbaensis Vassilieva, Galoyan, 
Gogoleva & Poyarkov, 2014 
+ 
16. Microhyla arboricola Poyarkov, Vassilieva, 
Orlov, Galoyan, Dao, Le, Kretova & Geissler, 
2014 
+ 
Class REPTILIA 
Order Squamata - Sauria 
Fam. Agamidae 
17. Acanthosaura coronata Günther, 1861 + 
18. Acanthosaura crucigera Boulenger, 1885 + 
19. Calotes bachae Hartmann, Geissler, Poyarkov, 
Ihlow, Galoyan, Rödder, & Böhme, 2012 
+ (C. mystaceus) 
20. Calotes versicolor (Daudin, 1802) + + 
21. Draco indochinensis Smith, 1928 + 
22. Draco sp. + + 
23. Physignathus cocincinus Cuvier, 1829 + 
Fam. Gekkonidae 
24. Cyrtodactylus sp. (irregularis group) + (Gonydactylus 
irregularis) 
25. Gekko gecko (Linnaeus, 1758) + + 
26. Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, 1836 + + 
27. Hemidactylus platyurus (Schneider, 1792) + + 
Fam. Lacertidae 
28. Takydromus sexlineatus Daudin, 1802 + + 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 6
Fam. Scincidae 
29. Eutropis macularia (Blyth, 1853) + 
30. Eutropis multifasciata (Kuhl, 1820) + 
31. Lipinia vittigera (Boulenger, 1894) + 
32. Lygosoma corpulentum Smith, 1921 + 
33. Sphenomorphus sp. + 
Order Squamata - Serpentes 
Fam. Colubridae 
34. Boiga sp. + 
35. Calamaria sp. + 
36. Dendrelaphis pictus (Gmelin, 1789) + 
37. Lycodon subcinctus Boie, 1827 + 
38. Rhadinophis prasinus (Blyth, 1854) + 
Fam. Natricidae 
39. Rhabdophis chrysargos (Schlegel, 1837) + + 
40. Rhabdophis subminiatus (Schlegel, 1837) + 
41. Xenochrophis trianguligerus (Boie, 1827) + 
Fam. Pareatidae 
42. Pareas carinatus (Boie, 1828) + 
43. Pareas hamptoni (Boulenger, 1905) + 
Fam. Pseudoxenodontidae 
44. Pseudoxenodon macrops (Blyth, 1854) + 
Fam. Elapidae 
45. Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836) + 
Fam. Viperidae 
46. Trimeresurus albolabris Gray, 1842 + + 
Order Testudines 
Fam. Testudinidae 
47. Manouria impressa (Günther, 1882) + 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 7
Thus, the herpetofauna of Hon Ba Nature Reserve has numbers at least 47 
species, including 16 amphibians and 31 reptiles. Undoubtedly, this list is not 
complete, which is caused by short periods of field surveys and their locality. Since 
the Langbian Plateau and neighboring mountain ridges are characterized by an 
extremely high herpetodiversity and endemism (Orlov, Ananjeva, 2007; Nguyen et 
al., 2009; Paiarkov, Vasilieva, 2011), the massif Hon Ba also may refuge a very rich 
fauna with locally endemic taxa. 
At least one endemic species is known to date from Hon Ba Nature Reserve - 
the Hon Ba sticky frog Kalophrynus honbaensis (Microhylidae) (figure 1a). It was 
described recently (Vassilieva et al., 2014) on the basis of specimens collected 
during our field survey. Another microhylid frog, Microhyla arboricola described in 
2014, is known currently only from Hon Ba Nature Reserve and Chu Yang Sin 
National Park (Poyarkov et al., 2014) (figure 1b). 
(a) (b) 
Figure 1. Kalophrynus honbaensis (a) and Microhyla arboricola (b) 
(photo by V. Trounov). 
Some of our findings represent certain interest in respect to amphibian and 
reptile species distribution. On the whole, the forests of Hon Ba at the elevations 
from 1,300 to over 1,500 m are inhabited by the representatives of montane faunistic 
complex common with the rest of Langbian Plateau: a range of species found in Hon 
Ba are common with Bidoup-Nui Ba and Chu Yang Sin forest massifs. For example, 
among anurans those are the megophryid frog Leptobrachium leucops previously 
known only from Bidoup and Hon Giao mountains (Bidoup-Nui Ba NP) (figure 2a); 
the rhacophorids Raorchestes gryllus and Rhacophorus vampyrus (figure 2b) (also 
known previously only from Bidoup-Nui Ba NP and Chu Yang Sin NP), the ranids 
Hylarana attigua and H. montivaga, etc. Our findings widen the known distribution 
of these species by adding the Khanh Hoa Province. 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 8
(a) (b) 
Figure 2. Leptobrachium leucops (photo by V. Trounov) (a) and 
Rhacophorus vampyrus (photo by A. Vassilieva) 
The reptiles of the Reserve fauna are represented by both widely distributed 
species like the synanthropic geckos Hemidactylus spp. or agamids Calotes spp. and 
Physignathus cocincinus, and species typical mostly for Truong Son Mountains forested 
areas like the gecko Cyrtodactylus sp. irregularis compl., the agamid Acanthosaura 
cf. coronata or the snakes Pseudoxenodon macrops and Pareas hamptoni. 
Due to its location on the mountain ridge and slopes from about 200 to 1,500 
m a.s.l., the Hon Ba Nature Reserve represents a great potential interest for the study 
of the altitudinal distribution of various amphibian and reptile species. For example, 
the montane species Leptobrachium leucops was observed only on the top of the 
ridge, whereas the widely distributed up to lowlands L. pullum was found at 
elevations 800 m a.s.l.; the rather montane slug snake Pareas hamptoni is replaced 
in the lower part of the slopes by its rather lowland congeneric P. carinatus, etc. 
Also, the specific feature of the amphibian community inhabiting Hon Ba 
Nature Reserve is a remarkable diversity and high number of hollow-breeding frogs. 
During our survey we recorded in total almost 30 water-filled tree hollows 
containing frog eggs and/or larvae: 24 tree hollows with clutches and/or tadpoles of 
Microhyla arboricola, 4 tree hollows with clutches or tadpoles of Theloderma 
truongsonense and 1 tree hollow with a clutch of Rhacophorus vampyrus. The 
number of tree hollows suitable for reproduction is a factor of competition in the 
local tree-dwelling amphibians, because we observed twice the use of tree hollows 
by two species simultaneously, and several clutches of M. arboricola were observed 
in decidedly unsuitable tree hollows (too small or dry). 
We conclude that the Hon Ba Nature Reserve represents an extremely 
promising area in respect to its herpetodiversity and is very perspective for the 
herpetological studies in the field of taxonomy, ecology and reproductive biology. 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 9
Acknowledgments 
I am very grateful to the Administration of Hon Ba Nature Reserve for the 
given opportunity to conduct the field research and the facilitating of our work. I am 
glad to thank the rangers of the Reserve for their hospitality and kind support. I 
thank my colleagues Vu Manh and Tran Minh Tien for the organizational support, 
Vitaly Trounov for the precious help in the field work, and Andrey Bushuev for 
linguistic corrections. 
REFERENCES 
1. BirdLife International, The Biodiversity of Chu Yang Sin National Park, Dak 
Lak Province, Vietnam, Compiled and edited by Hughes, R. BirdLife 
International in Indochina, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2010, p.207. 
2. Bobrov V.V., Reptiles (Reptilia) of Hon Ba mountain (Khanh Hoa Province, 
Central Vietnam), p.143-158 in: Materials of zoological and botanical studies 
in Bi Doup and Hon Ba mountains, Dalat Plateau, south of Vietnam, Series 
Biodiversity of Vietnam, Tropical Center, KMK, Moscow-Hanoi, 2006. 
3. Kuznetsov A.N., Kuznetsova S.P., Phan Luong, The forest vegetation on the 
mountain massives Bi Dup and Hon Ba, southern part of the main Himalayan 
ridge Truong Son, p.9-115 in: Materials of zoological and botanical studies in 
Bi Doup and Hon Ba mountains, Dalat Plateau, south of Vietnam, Series 
Biodiversity of Vietnam. Tropical Center, KMK, Moscow-Hanoi, 2006. 
4. Nguyen Quang Truong, Phung My Trung, Schneider N., Botov A., Tran Thi 
Anh Dao, Ziegler T., New records of amphibians and reptiles from southern 
Vietnam, Bonn zoological Bulletin, 2014, 63(2):148-156. 
5. Nguyen V.S., Ho T.C., Nguyen Q.T., Herpetofauna of Vietnam, Edition 
Chimaira, Frankfurt am Main, 2009, p.768. 
6. Orlov N.L., Ananjeva N.B., Amphibians of South-East Asia, Russian Academy 
of Science, Proceedings of the Zoological Institute, 2007, 309, p.270. 
7. Orlov N.L., Nguyen Ngoc Sang, Ho Thu Cuc, Description of a new species 
and new records of Rhacophorus genus (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) 
with the review of amphibians and reptiles diversity of Chu Yang Sin National 
Park (Dac Lac Province, Vietnam, Russian Journal of Herpetology, 2008, 
15(1):67-84. 
8. Paiarkov [Poyarkov] N.A., Vasilieva A.B., Bo Sat - Luong Cu VQG Bidoup - 
Nui Ba, chương 5 [Chapter 5. Reptiles and Amphibians of Bidoup - Nui Ba 
National Park], In litt.: Nguyen Dang Hoi, Kuznetsov A.N. (Eds.) Da Dang 
Sinh Hoc Va Dac Trung Sinh Thai Vuon Quoc Gia Bidoup - Nui Ba, Hanoi, 
Nxb Khoa Hoc Tu Nhien Va Cong Nghe Publishing House, 2011, p.169-220. 
 Những vấn đề chung 
Tạp chí Khoa học và Công nghệ nhiệt đới, Số 09, 12 - 2015 10
9. Poyarkov N.A., Vassilieva A.B., Orlov N.L., Galoyan E.A., Tran T.A.D., Le 
D.T.T., Kretova V.D., Geissler P., Taxonomy and Distribution of Narrow-
Mouth Frogs of the Genus Microhyla Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) 
from Vietnam with Descriptions of Five New Species, Russian Journal of 
Herpetology, 2014, 21(2):89-148. 
10. Vassilieva A.B., Galoyan E.A., Gogoleva S.S., Poyarkov N.A., Two new 
species of Kalophrynus Tschudi, 1838 (Anura: Microhylidae) from the 
Annamite mountains in southern Vietnam, Zootaxa, 2014, 3796(3):401-434. 
TÓM TẮT 
KHU HỆ ĐỘNG VẬT CAO NGUYÊN LANGBIAN, MIỀN NAM 
VIỆT NAM: CÁC LOÀI LƯỠNG CƯ VÀ BÒ SÁT 
CỦA KHU BẢO TỒN THIÊN NHIÊN HÒN BÀ 
Việc khảo sát thực địa tại Khu Bảo tồn thiên nhiên Hòn Bà đã được tiến hành 
vào tháng 6 năm 2013; 16 loài lưỡng cư và 13 loài bò sát được ghi nhận ở các sinh 
cảnh rừng trên địa hình đỉnh núi (1.400 - 1.500 m) và trên địa hình sườn núi (700 -
800 m). Tổng cộng, đã phát hiện và ghi nhận 16 loài lưỡng cư và 31 bò sát cho Khu 
Bảo tồn, trong đó có một loài đặc hữu Kalophrynus honbaensis. Mặc dù một số loài 
có phân bố rộng được ghi nhận cho Khu hệ bò sát - lưỡng cư của Khu Bảo tồn thiên 
nhiên Hòn Bà, song các đại diện thường là những loài sống trên núi thuộc cao 
nguyên Langbian. Rõ ràng, sự phân bố theo độ cao của các loài xảy ra giữa đỉnh núi 
và những phần dưới của sườn núi. Đã ghi nhận được sự đa dạng cao và độ phong 
phú của các loài ếch cây sống trong hốc (Microhyla arboricola, Rhacophorus 
vampyrus, Theloderma truongsonense). 
Từ khóa: Fauna, Hon Ba Nature Reserve, herpetofauna, amphibians, reptiles. 
Nhận bài ngày 16 tháng 9 năm 2015 
Hoàn thiện ngày 26 tháng 10 năm 2015 
Joint Vietnam - Russian Tropical Research and Technological Center