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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Banahao Forest Frog
Platymantis banahao
A heavily endangered montane forest frog proudly endemic to Mount Banahaw in the Philippines, exhibiting incredible direct biological development straight from distinct eggs into terrestrial froglets.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Ceratobatrachidae
Subfamily:Ceratobatrachinae
Genus:Platymantis
Species:Platymantis banahao
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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: This species is strictly endemic to the wet, mossy forests of Mount Banahaw on Luzon Island, Philippines. It is found in montane rainforests at elevations ranging from 700 to 1,200 meters above sea level, typically dwelling in moist leaf litter, low shrubs, and mossy epiphyte clusters.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Ceratobatrachidae and the genus Platymantis. It is a direct-developing frog, meaning it bypasses the aquatic tadpole stage entirely. This evolutionary adaptation allows it to reproduce away from standing water bodies in humid forest canopies.
Behavior and Habits: Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular. Males call from low vegetation, ferns, or leaf litter to attract females, producing distinct vocalizations during periods of high humidity. They are solitary and territorial, establishing small home ranges in the understory.
Morphology: A small to medium-sized frog with a robust, compact body shape. The skin is highly textured, featuring ridges and tubercles that mimic surrounding moss and leaf litter. Expanded digital discs on both fingers and toes assist in climbing slippery foliage.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: An vertically oriented terrarium measuring at least 45x45x60 cm (18x18x24 inches) is recommended for a pair. A bioactive setup containing live tropical plants, climbing branches, and a deep layer of leaf litter over a well-draining substrate is ideal.
Lighting and Heating: Provide low-intensity LED lighting along with a 2% to 5% UVB source to simulate dappled forest sunlight. As a montane species, it requires cool temperatures between 18°C and 23°C (64°F-73°F). Exposure to temperatures exceeding 25°C (77°F) can be fatal.
Humidity and Hydration: Relative humidity must be kept consistently high, between 80% and 95%. Daily misting with reverse osmosis or distilled water is crucial. Ensure adequate ventilation to maintain fresh air flow and prevent stagnant, mold-prone conditions.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Offer a varied diet of small live insects, including flightless fruit flies (Drosophila), pinhead crickets, springtails, and small roaches. Dust food items with high-quality calcium and D3 supplements twice weekly.
Compatibility: Best kept singly or in established male-female pairs. Males are territorial and should not be housed together to prevent combat. They can be safely kept with clean-up crew organisms like isopods and springtails in a bioactive enclosure.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly vulnerable to dehydration and heat stress. Bacterial or fungal skin infections can occur in poorly ventilated tanks. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is a risk if calcium supplementation and UVB lighting are neglected.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This species is strictly endemic to the wet, mossy forests of Mount Banahaw on Luzon Island, Philippines. It is found in montane rainforests at elevations ranging from 700 to 1,200 meters above sea level, typically dwelling in moist leaf litter, low shrubs, and mossy epiphyte clusters.
Origin
South and Southeast Asia
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 3.96 cm
- 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
The catalog's scalar value is 3.96 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 3.96 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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