FIELD BODY TEMPERATURES OF BORNEAN FROGS: A STUDY OF THERMOREGULATORY STRATEGIES

Temperature has a great impact on ectothermic animals such as frogs, particularly on their physiological adaptation, habitat preferences, and ecological significance. This study is an attempt to understand the body temperature of Bornean frogs in their natural habitat. This knowledge is essential for us to have a better understanding of their thermoregulatory strategies and their ability to adapt to environmental changes. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the body temperatures of Bornean frogs and their correlation with different habitat types. Therefore, we evaluated the body temperatures of 261 individuals from 40 different anuran species across five separate research sites located in Sarawak. The findings suggested that the body temperatures of frogs, which varied across different habitat types is intricately linked to their ecological niche. It was further indicated that frogs inhabiting lentic habitats (e.g., ponds) tend to exhibit a higher body temperature when compared with those residing in lotic (e.g., rivers) and terrestrial (including arboreal) habitats. Their temperature varied between 19.9°C and 28.2°C. All the observed amphibians exhibited thermoconforming behaviours, whereby their body temperature closely corresponded to that of their surrounding substrate. Hence, it is clear that ponds and other water bodies act as temperature regulators for aquatic organism as they possess a high heat capacity and heat conductivity, effectively regulating temperature changes in the surrounding environments. However, further research on the link between body temperatures and various elevational zones is needed for a better understanding of the thermal regime of Bornean frog species.