Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Classis: Amphibia
Subclassis: Lissamphibia
Ordo: Anura
Familia: Bombinatoridae
Genus: Barbourula
Species: Barbourula busuangensis
Name
Barbourula busuangensis Taylor & Noble, 1924
Type locality: "small stream in the southern part of Busuanga [Island], the largest island of the Calamianes group.... between Palawan and the island of Mindoro, Philippines".
Holotype: MCZ 14004.
References
Taylor and Noble, 1924, Am. Mus. Novit., 121: 1.
Frost, D.R. 2021. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.1. Electronic Database accessible at https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/index.php. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. DOI: 10.5531/db.vz.0001 Barbourula busuangensis . Accessed on 14 July 2008.
2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species IUCN: Barbourula busuangensis (Vulnerable) Downloaded on 14 July 2008.
Vernacular names
English: Busuanga Jungle Toad
Barbourula busuangensis is a species of frog in the family Bombinatoridae. It is also known under the common names Philippine flat-headed frog, Palawan flat-headed frog, Busuanga jungle toad, Busuanga disk-tongued toad, and Philippine aquatic frog.[1][2] It is endemic to the Busuanga, Culion, Balabac, and Palawan islands in the Philippines.[1][2] It is an inhabitant of clear-water streams and is threatened by habitat loss.[1]
Description
Barbourula busuangensis is a large aquatic species of frog. Its body is flattened dorso-ventrally and its nostrils and eyes are located at the top of its head. It has no external tympani. Both fore and hind limbs are robust and powerful and the digits of the hands are webbed as well as those of the feet. The surface of the body is covered with fine tubercles. This frog is a dark greenish-black in colour with some faint pale green hatching and spotting on the hind limbs.[3]
Distribution and habitat
This frog is endemic to the western Philippines where it is present on Busuanga, Culion, Balabac, and Palawan. Its typical habitat is fast-flowing, unpolluted streams in lowland tropical forests at elevations below 800 m (2,600 ft) asl. It often floats on the surface, but is very wary and dives to the bottom and hides if it is disturbed.[1]
Breeding
Little is known of the breeding habits of this rare species and tadpoles have not been observed. Pregnant females have been found with a small number of large, unpigmented eggs. This led researchers to hypothesize that development may be direct without an intervening tadpole stage. Attempts to get the species to breed in the laboratory have been unsuccessful.[3]
Status
The IUCN lists this frog as "near threatened". The reasons given are that it occurs in a few locations, its populations are fragmented, and its numbers are declining. The main threats it faces are degradation of its habitat, changing agricultural practices, quarrying, mining and pollution of the streams with runoff from agricultural land.[1]
References
IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2018). "Barbourula busuangensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T23900A58474888. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T23900A58474888.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Barbourula busuangensis Taylor and Noble, 1924". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
Infante, Carlos R. (2003-05-01). "Barbourula busuangensis". AmphibiaWeb. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
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