Platymantis spelaeus

{{Speciesbox

| image =

| status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2018 |title=Platymantis spelaeus |volume=2018 |page=e.T17520A58473230 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T17520A58473230.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}

| taxon = Platymantis spelaeus

| authority = {{interlanguage link multi|Walter Creighton Brown|fr|lt=Brown}} and Alcala, 1982

| synonyms = Platymantis spelaea — {{interlanguage link multi|Rainer Günther|fr|lt=Günther}}, 1999 (incorrect subsequent spelling)

| synonyms_ref =

}}

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

Description

Adult males measure {{convert|42|-|47|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} and adult females {{convert|53|-|61|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} 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.

Habitat and conservation

Platymantis spelaeus live in limestone karst and caves in forested limestone areas at elevations of {{convert|20|–|400|m|abbr=on}} 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{{cite book|title=Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles |edition=4th |first1=Laurie J. |last1=Vitt |first2=Janalee P. |last2=Caldwell |name-list-style=amp |publisher=Academic Press |year=2014 |page=166}}).

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.

References

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web |url=https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Platymantis&where-species=spelaeus |title=Platymantis spelaeus Negros Cave Frog |year=2008 |work=AmphibiaWeb |publisher=University of California, Berkeley |access-date=20 February 2019}}

{{cite journal |last=Brown |first=Walter C. |last2=Alcala |first2=Angel C. |name-list-style=amp |title=A new cave Platymantis (Amphibia: Ranidae) from the Philippine Islands |journal=Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington |date=1982 |volume=95 |pages=386–391 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/48273}}

{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Anura/Ceratobatrachidae/Ceratobatrachinae/Platymantis/Platymantis-spelaeus |title=Platymantis spelaeus Brown and Alcala, 1982 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2019 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=20 February 2019}}

}}

spelaeus

Category:Amphibians of the Philippines

Category:Endemic fauna of the Philippines

Category:Fauna of Negros Island

Category:Amphibians described in 1982

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

Category:Cave amphibians