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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Palau island frog
Cornufer pelewensis
A unique terrestrial frog endemic to the Palau archipelago. Lacking an aquatic tadpole stage, it requires a humid forest terrarium and small live food items.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Ceratobatrachidae
Subfamily:Ceratobatrachinae
Genus:Cornufer
Species:Cornufer pelewensis
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 90 %
Day temperature
24 - 28 °C
Night temperature
20 - 23 °C
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the islands of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. Inhabits tropical rainforest floors, limestone forest areas, damp gardens, and moist disturbed habitats rich in leaf litter.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Previously classified under the genus Platymantis, now belongs to the family Ceratobatrachidae, genus Cornufer. Characterized by direct embryonic development (hatching directly as fully formed froglets, bypassing the free-swimming tadpole stage).
Behavior and Habits: Primarily nocturnal and terrestrial. Spends daytime hiding under leaf litter, rotten logs, or damp rock crevices. Males emit a characteristic mating call resembling a metallic clicking sound at night.
Morphology: Small frog, with adult males measuring about 2.5-3 cm and females slightly larger (up to 4 cm). Skin is textured with longitudinal skin folds. Coloration is highly cryptic, ranging from gray to dark brown with irregular patterns.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a forest-type enclosure (bioactive recommended) measuring around 45x45x45 cm for a small group. The substrate should consist of organic forest soil or coco fiber topped with a thick layer of leaf litter and sphagnum moss to retain moisture.
Lighting and Heating: Does not require strong lighting; a low-intensity LED for live plants is sufficient. Keep temperature stable between 22°C and 26°C during the day, with a slight drop at night. Avoid overheating.
Humidity and Hydration: Requires high humidity, consistently between 80% and 90%. Spraying the terrarium twice daily with RO water is essential. Provide a very shallow, clean water dish to prevent any drowning hazard.
Feeding and Supplementation: Feed exclusively on appropriately sized live prey: fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster and hydei), pinhead crickets, springtails, and small isopods. Dust prey with calcium and vitamin D3 twice weekly.
Compatibility: Can be kept in small mixed-sex groups in large setups with plenty of visual barriers. Must not be housed with larger predators or other amphibian species to prevent stress and disease transmission.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly vulnerable to dehydration and bacterial or fungal skin infections (such as chytridiomycosis) resulting from poor sanitation or waterlogged substrate. Ensure adequate ventilation to prevent stagnant air.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Endemic to the islands of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. Inhabits tropical rainforest floors, limestone forest areas, damp gardens, and moist disturbed habitats rich in leaf litter.
Origin
Australia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- No verified data available
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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