Polypedates megacephalus
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%
Polypedates megacephalus, the Hong Kong whipping frog or spot-legged tree frog, is a species in the shrub frog family (Rhacophoridae). In its native range, it is also called "brown tree frog", but this name is otherwise applied to a species of the true tree frog family (Hylidae).
This species is native in central, southern and southwestern China (including Hong Kong and Hainan) and Indo-China peninsula. It is closely related to Polypedates leucomystax and was formerly included in P. leucomystex species complex, along with P. mutus and P. braueri.
Previously, P. megacephalus was thought to distribute above the Red River of Vietnam and in Northeast India, while P. leucomystex was generally found south of the Red River and in western Yunnan. However, recent genetic studies revealed that the natural barriers between these species are the Isthmus of Kra and the Tenasserim Range, where P. megacephalus can be found above the isthmus and east of the range.
This frog is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution in Asia and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats. It also because of its presumed large population. This species is... Wikipedia →
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 3 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cần Thơ | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 2 | Ho Chi Minh City | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 3 | Yangon | 🇲🇲 Myanmar | |
| 4 | Guangzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Hanoi | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 6 | Taipei | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 7 | Taichung | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 8 | Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 9 | Zhuhai [Macau] | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 10 | Tuen Mun | 🇨🇳 China |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoo Opole | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Cologne Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Alligator Adventure | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Edward Youde Aviary | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 6 | Cologne Zoo Aquarium | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Ocean Park Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 8 | Sea Life Bangkok Ocean World | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
Likely
About 60% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-legged Tree Frog sighting in Cat Tien National Park on a given day, based on 144 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the most-seen of the 21 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Spot-legged Tree Frog in Cat Tien National Park on a given day, against about 40% in February and March, the lowest months. That is one of Cat Tien National Park's wettest months, with about 340 mm of rain against 15 mm in February.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spot-legged Tree Frog sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Spot-legged Tree Frog sightings, Cat Tien National Park has the highest daily chance: about 60%. Next come Cuc Phuong National Park (Vietnam, about 30%) and Kaeng Krachan National Park (Thailand, about 20%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Rhacophoridae
The closest relatives of the Spot-legged Tree Frog that you can see in Cat Tien National Park (family Rhacophoridae, Old World Tree Frogs) are Vietnamese Bug-eyed Frog (about 30%), Nongkhor Asian Treefrog (about 20%) and Annam Flying Frog (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spot-legged Tree Frog is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Cat Tien National Park (144 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
