The Polillo forest frog (Platymantis polillensis) is a species of frog in the family Ceratobatrachidae. It is endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs on Polillo Island and the adjacent coast of Aurora Province, Luzon. The name "Polillo" means "beautiful island with plenty of food." Locally, it is called "kabakab." The species of frog has previously been considered as critically endangered, as its habitat on Polillo Island had been razed for coconut farming, leaving only 4 square kilometers of land. But, after a researcher recognized its mating call on another island, it had been discovered that the Polillo forest frog was widespread across the Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora provinces of Luzon.

The Polillo forest frog has a diet consisting of insects found on the island of Luzon and Polillo.

Polillo forest frog

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Polillo forest frog

References

2. Borrell, Brendan. "THE SPY WHO LOVED FROGS." Nature, vol. 501, no. 7466, 2013, pp. 150-3. .

Polillo forest frog

3. Brown, Rafe M. “Amphibians and Reptiles, Luzon Island, Aurora Province and Aurora Memorial National Park, Northern Philippines: New Island Distribution Records.” KU ScholarWorks, Check List, 1 Jan. 1970, kuscholarworks.ku.edu/handle/1808/10747.

4. Bernabe, K. J. C. (2013, November 28). Polillo folk as Guardians of biodiversity. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/536223/polillo-folk-as-guardians-of-biodiversity.

5. Harwood, J., Wilkin, D., Kraus, D., Gray-Wilson, N., Brainard, J., Johnson, S., … Karasov, C. (2019, November 20). Frogs and Toads. CK. https://www.ck12.org/biology/frogs-and-toads/lesson/Frogs-and-Toads-MS-LS/.

Platymantis

Amphibians of the Philippines

Endemic fauna of the Philippines

Fauna of Luzon

Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

Amphibians described in 1922