download the PDF here - Amphibian Specialist Group

documenting the amphibian fauna of his
country has resulted in numerous peerreviewed
publications co-authored by
him and his colleagues, and most notably,
he has produced a photographic guide to
the amphibians of Cambodia
(Neang and Holden, 2008).
This beautiful and informative
guide provides a photograph,
identification features, and
comments on ecology and
distribution within Cambodia for
most of the amphibian species
known to occur in the country.
Ms. Somphouthone Phimmachak
was the first student to complete
the new M.Sc. program in the
Faculty of Sciences, Department
of Biology, at the National
University of Laos, with the
January 2010 defense of her
thesis titled “Distribution,
natural history, and conservation
of the Lao endemic newt,
Laotriton laoensis (Urodela:
Salamandridae),” with cosupervision
by Prof. Niane
Sivongxay (National University
of Laos) and me. This beautiful
and enigmatic species of newt was
described to science only in 2002
and is endemic to a small area in
northern Laos. Unfortunately
it is threatened by harvesting
for traditional medicine and, especially, to
meet high demand for it in the international
pet trade. Almost nothing was known on
its biology prior to Somphouthone’s thesis
work, which has been summarized and
accepted for publication in English in a
peer-reviewed journal (Phimmachak et al.,
in press). In addition to her independent
thesis fieldwork, she has worked with me on
eight field surveys of amphibians throughout
the country since 2007 and has become
very knowledgeable on amphibian species
diversity of Laos. Somphouthone is now
enrolled in the Ph.D. program in the Zoology
Department, Kasetsart University, Bangkok,
Thailand, where she continues to study
amphibians of Laos for her dissertation
research. Her Master’s and Ph.D.
programs were supported by grants from
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation and a Seed Grant from the
IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group.
Bryan Stuart (Deputy Chair) Laos
and Cambodia Amphibian Specialist
Group
Contact Information: North Carolina
Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West
Jones Street, Raleigh NC 27601 USA;
bryan.stuart@ncdenr.gov; www.
bryanlstuart.com
Neang, T. and J. Holden. 2008. A Field Guide to the
Amphibians of Cambodia. Fauna & Flora International,
Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Phimmachak, S., B. L. Stuart, and N. Sivongxay. In
press. Distribution, natural history, and conservation
of the Lao Newt Laotriton laoensis (Caudata:
Salamandridae). Journal of Herpetology.
FrogLog Schedule
November 2011 - Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania
January 2012 - South America
March 2012 - Europe, North Africa and West Asia
May 2012 - North and Central America and the Caribbean
July 2012 - Sub Saharan Africa
September 2012 - Mainland Asia
November 2012 - Maritime Southeast Asia and Oceania
January 2013 - South America
India - Chalazodes Bubble-nest Frog
(Raorchestes chalazodes) © SD Biju
Follow the ASG on facebook
www.facebook.com/amphibiansdotorg
10 | FrogLog Vol. 98 | September 2011