Platymantis spelaeus

Platymantis spelaeus, also known as the Negros cave frog[4] or cave wrinkled ground frog,[1] is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae.[3] It is endemic to the Philippines, where it is only found in the forested limestone areas of southern Negros.[1][3] It is one of the two cave-dwelling Platymantis species, the other one being Platymantis insulatus.[2][4]

Platymantis spelaeus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Ceratobatrachidae
Genus: Platymantis
Species:
P. spelaeus
Binomial name
Platymantis spelaeus
Brown and Alcala, 1982[2]
Synonyms[3]

Platymantis spelaea — Günther, 1999 (incorrect subsequent spelling)

Description

Adult males measure 42–47 mm (1.7–1.9 in) and adult females 53–61 mm (2.1–2.4 in) in snout–vent length. The snout is broadly rounded. The tympanum is relatively large. The fingers and toes bear discs. The fingers are slender and have no webbing, whereas the toes are slightly webbed at base. Dorsal skin is rough (shagreened). The dorsum is olive-green to brown with darker mottling. The upper surfaces of the thighs have dark bars; the inner surfaces are orange or lavender. The venter is cream and may have brown flecks.[2][4]

Habitat and conservation

Platymantis spelaeus live in limestone karst and caves in forested limestone areas at elevations of 20–400 m (66–1,312 ft) above sea level. They can be very common and abundant during the rainy season, but are rarely encountered during the dry season. Development is direct (i.e., there is no free-living larval stage[5]).[1]

This species is threatened by habitat loss caused by shifting agriculture, human encroachment, guano mining, and the quarrying of limestone. The type locality is inside the Tiyabanan Banio community-based conservation area.[1]

References
  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2018). "Platymantis spelaeus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T17520A58473230. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T17520A58473230.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  2. Brown, Walter C. & Alcala, Angel C. (1982). "A new cave Platymantis (Amphibia: Ranidae) from the Philippine Islands". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 95: 386–391.
  3. Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Platymantis spelaeus Brown and Alcala, 1982". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  4. "Platymantis spelaeus Negros Cave Frog". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  5. Vitt, Laurie J. & Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. p. 166.
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