Diversity, biogeography and conservation of Philippine amphibians

• Main Authors: Diesmos, Arvin C., Brown, Rafe M.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2011
• Subjects: Amphibians—Philippines; Amphibians—Conservation—Philippines; Biology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/4878
• Institution: De La Salle University

Situated at the Indomalayan-Australasian faunal zone interface, the Philippine archipelago has captured the attention of amphibian systematists for over 150 years. Once perceived as having a depauperate amphibian fauna, results of intensive filed studies in the past two decades reveal that the Philippines is a major centre of amphibian diversity and endemism. At least 108 native amphibian species are currently known in the Philippines and over 80% of these are endemics, a level of species endemism that is among the highest in the Indomalayan realm. Twenty-seven percent of the fauna were discovered and described only within the last two decades and many more new species continue to be found. This indicates that the country's amphibian diversity remains underestimated. Ongoing taxonomic descriptions and revisionary works in various amphibian groups is anticipated to result in dramatic increase of species richness. Nearly half of Philippine amphibians are threatened with extinction based on the most recent assessment by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. And because over 70% of the fauna are confined to forest habitats, particularly in the lowland forest, the continuing destruction of rainforest is indisputably the most serious threat to many species. Especially vulnerable to forest loss and degradation are species with highly localized distribution patterns, such as those that are confined to distinct zoogeographical regions (i.e., Pleistocene aggregate island complexes), island-endemic species, or species that are restricted to a single mountain massif. There is an urgent need for more action in the filed. Immediate and intensive amphibian surveys must be undertaken especially in the key biodiversity areas that are seriously threatened by large-scale habitat modification and disturbance (e.g., activities related to logging and extractive industries). Ecological and life history studies must be sustained if they are to contribute to developing effective strategies for the conservation of amphibians and their critical habitats.