The marbled pigmy frog

A marbled pigmy frog is seen in Bijia Hill Park in Futian District on July 13, 2021.

Definitely one of the most stunning amphibians that can be found around Shenzhen is the marbled pygmy frog (Microhyla pulchra), or the beautiful pygmy frog, as some people would call them. Using the epithet “beautiful” to refer to this fascinating animal is not in vain, for it is very beautiful indeed.

花姬蛙是一种深圳常见的蛙类，外表美丽。它的其中一个英文俗名还用上了“美丽”（beautiful）作为定语，十分生动形象。

The marbled frog is a triangular-shaped small species characterized by having a striking pattern on their bodies that resembles those on marble stones. You can see a flashy yellowish band on the base of its legs, which are quite long in proportion to the size of their body and therefore provide the species with a powerful jump in spite of its reduced body size. They are normally three to five centimeters long.

花姬蛙个头很小，一般只有3到5厘米长，身体呈三角形，全身遍布大理石般的花纹，点缀着亮黄色条纹的后腿非常发达，跳跃能力极强。和这双“大长腿”比起来，它们的躯干就很短小了。

The marbled pygmy frog is an entirely nocturnal animal that feeds on small insects like ants. They are fairly difficult to find except during their mating season, when they become especially active and noisy with their courtship calls that can be a bit deafening for us.

花姬蛙昼伏夜出，以蚂蚁等小型昆虫为食。它们平时行踪隐蔽，很难察觉，只在繁殖期不断发出震耳欲聋的响亮鸣叫。

Frogs in general are fantastic indicators of the quality of an environment since they are characterized by having a very sensitive skin capable of exchanging gases with the environment. Basically any small change in the physical or chemical components of the water may be deadly for them. It speaks positively about the ecosystems around our city that most of them allow these amazing animals to thrive.

蛙类是一种非常重要的环境指示生物。它们的皮肤非常敏感，可以辅助呼吸，所以哪怕是栖息水体的物理或化学成分有一点点改变，对蛙类来说都有可能是致命的。所以，蛙类能够在深圳大量繁衍生息，标志着这里生态环境优良。

Frogs are among those animals that serve our environment in many ways. Their ecological services include eating as well as being eaten, keeping snakes, birds, fish and even mammal populations stable by being eaten and reining the number of insects and other small animals by consuming them. So protecting frogs is a daily task for all of us.

蛙类也是维护生态环境稳定的重要角色。作为被捕食者，它们为蛇、鸟、鱼及哺乳动物提供了食物；作为捕食者，它们可以控制昆虫等小动物的数量。

Keeping our water streams clean and our parks as protected as possible is something that any of us can do to help maintain a positive balance in the ecological dynamics of our beloved city.

所以，我们要把保护蛙类贯彻到日常生活中去，从保护身边的水体和公园的环境做起，为维系深圳的生态平衡贡献出自己的力量。