These were taken by my partner while we were in Borneo a few weeks ago, figured a few people may be interested.
Microhyla nepenthicola is a highly specialized microhylid frog that has evolved to live out it's life in and around the pitchers of Nepenthes ampullaria. They lay eggs inside the ampullaria pitchers (which have actually evolved to catch leaf litter in this species, not small animals, but that's another story....), the tadpoles develop inside, and the adult males display and compete nearby for females that they mate inside the pitchers. The 'Dragon snake' or Rough backed litter snake (Xenodermus javanicus, google it for amazing photos, it's an incredible species) is a frog specialist that is usually (always?) found within 10 meters of water, on or under the leaf litter - and here it is waiting for its dinner. The dragonsnake itself is generally considered rare, and finding one curled up around an ampullaria colony (I'm a nepenthes nut) that contained the tadpoles of Asia's smallest frog made my night (possibly even week, but we did find some pretty cool stuff every other night.....).
Dragonsnake amongst pitchers:
![Click image for larger version.
Name: 1470221_10151867330989079_1819298448_n.jpg
Views: 88
Size: 79.7 KB
ID: 301024]()
M. nepenthicola male - we found two and heard but couldn't locate another within the same 20cm square patch of leaf litter.
![Click image for larger version.
Name: 1458551_10151867346569079_1766328088_n.jpg
Views: 69
Size: 45.9 KB
ID: 301027]()
Second male, beside a $2 coin for size reference.
![Click image for larger version.
Name: 1452216_10151867346354079_1334319145_n.jpg
Views: 75
Size: 78.0 KB
ID: 301026]()
1 of 3 tadpoles, about 2mm long, in this ampullaria pitcher.
![Click image for larger version.
Name: 563719_10151867330974079_591794292_n.jpg
Views: 67
Size: 53.1 KB
ID: 301025]()
Microhyla nepenthicola is a highly specialized microhylid frog that has evolved to live out it's life in and around the pitchers of Nepenthes ampullaria. They lay eggs inside the ampullaria pitchers (which have actually evolved to catch leaf litter in this species, not small animals, but that's another story....), the tadpoles develop inside, and the adult males display and compete nearby for females that they mate inside the pitchers. The 'Dragon snake' or Rough backed litter snake (Xenodermus javanicus, google it for amazing photos, it's an incredible species) is a frog specialist that is usually (always?) found within 10 meters of water, on or under the leaf litter - and here it is waiting for its dinner. The dragonsnake itself is generally considered rare, and finding one curled up around an ampullaria colony (I'm a nepenthes nut) that contained the tadpoles of Asia's smallest frog made my night (possibly even week, but we did find some pretty cool stuff every other night.....).
Dragonsnake amongst pitchers:
M. nepenthicola male - we found two and heard but couldn't locate another within the same 20cm square patch of leaf litter.
Second male, beside a $2 coin for size reference.
1 of 3 tadpoles, about 2mm long, in this ampullaria pitcher.