Barbourula busuangensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	ANURA	BOMBINATORIDAE

Scientific Name:

Barbourula busuangensis

Species Authority:

Taylor & Noble, 1924

Common Name/s:

English

–

Philippine Flat-headed Frog

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable B1ab(iii) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2004

Assessor/s:

Arvin Diesmos, Angel Alcala, Rafe Brown, Leticia Afuang, Genevieve Gee, Katie Hampson, Mae Leonida Diesmos, Aldrin Mallari, Perry Ong, Dondi Ubaldo, Baldwin Gutierrez

Reviewer/s:

Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson and Neil Cox)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Vulnerable because its Extent of Occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat.

History:

2000

–

Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs on the islands of Busuanga, Culion, and Palawan, all in the western Philippines. It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest, especially in areas between known sites on Palawan. It is a lowland species occurring up to 300m asl, perhaps up to 500m asl.
Countries:	Native: Philippines
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It commonly occurs in large numbers where known, though the overall distribution is patchy and fragmented.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This aquatic species inhabits clear, unpolluted swift-flowing mountain streams and rivers in lowland rainforests, where it usually floats near the surface of the water unless disturbed, when it will hide under submerged rocks. The breeding strategy of this species remains unknown. Tadpoles have never been observed, and eggs collected from gravid females were large, unpigmented, and few in number (Inger 1954), suggesting that it could possibly reproduce by direct development (Brown and Alcala 1983). However to date breeding habits have not yet been observed. It has not been found in open habitats outside forest.
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

This aquatic species inhabits clear, unpolluted swift-flowing mountain streams and rivers in lowland rainforests, where it usually floats near the surface of the water unless disturbed, when it will hide under submerged rocks. The breeding strategy of this species remains unknown. Tadpoles have never been observed, and eggs collected from gravid females were large, unpigmented, and few in number (Inger 1954), suggesting that it could possibly reproduce by direct development (Brown and Alcala 1983). However to date breeding habits have not yet been observed. It has not been found in open habitats outside forest.

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The lowland rainforest habitat of this species is generally protected on the island of Palawan. However, some populations are threatened by habitat conversion, shifting agriculture, quarrying, large-scale mining, and pollution of streams and rivers from agricultural effluents. The collection of frogs for the pet trade (including internationally) is also a possible threat.

Major Threat(s):

The lowland rainforest habitat of this species is generally protected on the island of Palawan. However, some populations are threatened by habitat conversion, shifting agriculture, quarrying, large-scale mining, and pollution of streams and rivers from agricultural effluents. The collection of frogs for the pet trade (including internationally) is also a possible threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There is a need for remaining intact lowland rainforest of Palawan to be designated as protected areas. Further research is needed to establish the levels of offtake of this species from the wild for the international pet trade; if proved to be a significant threat, then this species could also warrant listing by CITES.

Conservation Actions:

There is a need for remaining intact lowland rainforest of Palawan to be designated as protected areas. Further research is needed to establish the levels of offtake of this species from the wild for the international pet trade; if proved to be a significant threat, then this species could also warrant listing by CITES.

Citation:	Arvin Diesmos, Angel Alcala, Rafe Brown, Leticia Afuang, Genevieve Gee, Katie Hampson, Mae Leonida Diesmos, Aldrin Mallari, Perry Ong, Dondi Ubaldo, Baldwin Gutierrez 2004. Barbourula busuangensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided