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AmphibianTerrestrialIntermediate
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Lawton's Forest Frog
Platymantis lawtoni
A medium-sized, elusive terrestrial frog endemic entirely to the central islands of the Philippines. It heavily inhabits the damp leaf litter and thick understory of wet lowland rainforests.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Anura
Family:Ceratobatrachidae
Subfamily:Ceratobatrachinae
Genus:Platymantis
Species:Platymantis lawtoni
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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 endemic to the central Philippine islands of Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon. It primarily inhabits the leaf litter and understory of primary and secondary lowland tropical rainforests at elevations from sea level to 800 meters.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Ceratobatrachidae and the genus Platymantis. It is characterized by direct development, bypassing the aquatic larval stage. Terrestrial eggs are deposited in dark, humid microhabitats and hatch directly into miniature froglets.
Behavior and Habits: Primarily terrestrial and nocturnal. During the day, it stays hidden under decaying wood, leaf litter, or rocks. At night, it becomes active to forage on the forest floor. Males call from the ground or low perches, especially after heavy rains.
Morphology: A medium-sized frog (approx. 3-4 cm SVL) with a broad head and relatively robust body. The dorsal skin features small ridges and tubercles. Coloration is highly cryptic, typically brown with dark spots or light lateral stripes along the flanks.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: A horizontally oriented terrarium measuring at least 60x40x40 cm (24x16x16 inches) is ideal. Use a moist soil/peat substrate 5-7 cm deep, covered with a thick layer of hardwood leaves (such as oak or catappa) and cork bark shelters.
Lighting and Heating: Provide low-intensity LED lighting and a 2% to 5% UVB source. This species prefers moderate temperatures: a daytime range of 22°C to 25°C (72°F-77°F) with a slight drop of 2-3 degrees at night. Avoid exposing the enclosure to extreme heat.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels between 80% and 90%. Mist once or twice daily with reverse osmosis water. Provide a shallow, broad water dish with clean dechlorinated water for hydration, and change it daily to prevent bacterial growth.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly insectivorous. Offer gut-loaded live insects such as crickets, roaches, mealworms, and fruit flies. Dust prey items with calcium and D3 supplements twice a week, and a complete herpetological multivitamin every two weeks.
Compatibility: Can be housed in pairs or small harems of one male and multiple females. Males exhibit territorial vocalization during the breeding season. As a terrestrial species, avoid housing with much larger or aggressive ground-dwelling amphibians.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly susceptible to dehydration if humidity levels drop. Waterlogged and dirty substrates can lead to bacterial skin infections (Red Leg disease). Ensure proper ventilation and regular spot cleaning of the leaf litter.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
This species is endemic to the central Philippine islands of Tablas, Sibuyan, and Romblon. It primarily inhabits the leaf litter and understory of primary and secondary lowland tropical rainforests at elevations from sea level to 800 meters.
Origin
South and Southeast Asia
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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