Common forest ground frog
Platymantis dorsalis
A common terrestrial forest frog from the Philippines. Featuring direct egg development, it requires a humid forest terrarium and cool to moderate temperatures.
Ambiente
Terrestre
Umidade
70 - 90 %
Temperatura diurna
24 - 28 °C
Temperatura noturna
22 - 24 °C
Descrição da espécie
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the Philippines, widely distributed across almost all the major islands of the archipelago. Inhabits the leaf litter of primary and secondary tropical rainforests from sea level up to wet montane regions.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the family Ceratobatrachidae, genus Platymantis. A key species for researching direct embryonic development in amphibians, as eggs are laid on land and hatch directly into fully formed terrestrial froglets.
Behavior and Habits: Nocturnal and primarily terrestrial species. Hides under leaf litter or decaying logs during daylight. Males call at night to attract females, emitting short, high-pitched metallic clicking sounds.
Morphology: Small-sized frog, with adult males measuring about 2.5-3 cm and females reaching up to 4 cm. Skin is smooth to slightly granular. Coloration is brown, gray, or olive, often marked by a light vertebral stripe (giving the species name dorsalis).
Cuidado, criação e companheiros de tanque
Terrarium Setup: Requires a terrestrial terrarium measuring 45x45x45 cm for a small group. Substrate should be a bioactive mix of soil and coco fiber, topped with a thick layer of dried oak or magnolia leaves and fresh moss.
Lighting and Heating: Does not require special lighting; a low-intensity LED for plants is sufficient. The optimal temperature is cool, between 20°C and 25°C. Avoid temperatures above 27°C, which can quickly be lethal.
Humidity and Hydration: Extremely high humidity, between 80% and 90%. Mist the setup once or twice daily with RO water to keep the leaf litter and substrate damp. Provide a very shallow water dish to prevent drowning.
Feeding and Supplementation: Feeds on small live insects: fruit flies, springtails, pinhead crickets, and small isopods. Prey items must be dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements twice a week.
Compatibility: Can coexist in small groups if provided with sufficient space and plenty of hides. Do not mix with other amphibian or reptile species to avoid competition and potential pathogen transmission.
Health and Common Diseases: Susceptible to bacterial and fungal skin infections if the enclosure is poorly ventilated or waterlogged. Ensure an efficient ventilation screen. Risk of dehydration if humidity drops below 70%.
Origem e distribuição geográfica
Endemic to the Philippines, widely distributed across almost all the major islands of the archipelago. Inhabits the leaf litter of primary and secondary tropical rainforests from sea level up to wet montane regions.
Origem
América do NorteSul e Sudeste Asiático
Perfil anfíbio
- Dieta
- Insectivore
- This species is a typical forest-dwelling insectivore, feeding primarily on a variety of leaf-litter invertebrates. Its diet encompasses small spiders, crickets, beetles, and ants that inhabit the moist, shaded environment of the forest floor. The frog employs a sit-and-wait ambush strategy, using its camouflage to blend into the detritus before striking quickly at passing prey.
- Expectativa de vida
- 7-10 years
- Tamanho adulto
- 4.4 cm
- Estilo de vida/Microhabitat
- Terrestrial
- It is predominantly a terrestrial ground-dweller, inhabiting the moist leaf litter, moss, and dense undergrowth of its native tropical forest environment.
- Ciclo de atividades
- Nocturnal
- The Forest Frog is primarily active at night to avoid the heat and potential dehydration of the day. It spends the daylight hours hidden away in cool, damp microhabitats and emerges after dusk to actively forage for small invertebrates.
- Socialidade
- Gregarious
- It is a solitary terrestrial species that spends most of its time hidden within the leaf litter or under forest debris. Social interactions are largely minimal, restricted mostly to the breeding season when males establish small calling territories to attract females. Outside of mating, individuals actively avoid each other and maintain a highly cryptic lifestyle to evade predators.
- Reprodução
- Oviparous
- Reproduction in this species is oviparous and features a fascinating direct-development lifecycle. Females lay small clutches of eggs in moist, terrestrial microhabitats such as rotting logs, under moss, or within leaf litter, completely bypassing the need for standing water. The embryos develop directly within the egg capsules and hatch as fully formed, miniature froglets rather than free-swimming tadpoles.
- Toxicidade
- Toxic
- No known toxicity to humans, but sensitive to chemical agents on the skin.
- Estágio de vida
- Adult only
- Direct embryonic development: eggs are laid in moist leaf litter and hatch directly into tiny froglets.
- Tolerância de tratamento
- Display only
- As an amphibian with highly permeable and sensitive skin, it is strictly a display animal. Handling should be avoided entirely, as human body heat, natural oils, and soap residues can easily cause toxicosis and fatal stress.
- Brumação
- Não obrigatório
- Native to humid, tropical environments with minimal seasonal temperature variation, it does not require a brumation period and needs a stable, warm climate year-round.
- Muda
- Periodic
- Like most amphibians, it sheds its skin regularly. The process is completely dependent on a consistently high-humidity environment. It will contort its body to loosen the dead skin, subsequently pulling it into its mouth and consuming it to recycle valuable nutrients.
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