A Field Guide to the Frogs of Borneo (Second Edition)
By Robert F. Inger & Robert B. stuebing – (2005)
201 pages; matt art paper, with 114 colour photographs (including back cover), 5 illustrations & 1 map.
Soft Cover: 21.5cm x 15.2cm.
ISBN: 983-812-085-5
Natural History Publications (Borneo) Kota Kinabalu
Finding decent books on the frogs of Southeast Asia is no easy task, however, this book although concentrates specifically on Borneo, goes some way to filling that literature gap on the frogs of the region.
The book opens with a rather informative brief chapter on the biology of frogs followed by a brief yet very interesting chapter on the history and folklore of frogs in Borneo including their partial use in medicinal potions and cooking. This is followed by distribution and a brief account of the prehistoric evolution of frogs, followed by a key and checklist to the species known, ecology and their conservation.
It covers in some detail 115 species of the 150 or so known at the time of writing divided into 6 families. There is a brief description of each family and its global distribution. For each species covered notes on distribution, habits and habitat are provided along with its scientific name and author of such, its common name and a physical description of the adults and tadpoles (where known).
All of the photos used in this book are clear and sharp and of excellent quality. This book was created as a field guide for the eco traveler with an emphasis on the species most likely to be encountered during a trip to Borneo. The bulk of Borneo’s frog fauna is endemic, however, at least 42 of its species do occur in neighboring countries, so not only is this book very useful here in Borneo but can be used to some degree with other areas of the region.
Rod Rice
Principal Reviewer
Nature & Travel Books