Post by admin on Dec 27, 2014 4:05:56 GMT 8
Scientists discover 2 frog species in Southern Leyte forest
Restituto A. Cayubit
December 18, 2014
Tacloban City – Scientists are studying the species of two kinds of frogs found in Southern Leyte, a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office 8 (DENR-8) based here said.
DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said that two kinds of frogs of still unknown species were discovered by the team conducting the validation and assessment of natural resources and biodiversity in the forest of Mount Nacolod bordering several towns in the province. Herpetologists experts or scientists studying reptiles and amphibians are now looking into the characteristics of the newfound frogs, according to Sibbaluca.
“Herpetologists from the Philippines and the United States are now working on the formal taxonomic description of the species,” he said.
DENR-8 Protected Area Wildlife Division officer-in-charge and New Conservation Areas in the Philippines Project Mt. Nacolod Management Officer Crisostomo Badeo Jr., who is also a forester, said that the two species are allied to two different species groups, the Platymantis guentheri group and Platymantis hazelae group.
“Interestingly, this is the first time that a Platymantis species belonging to the hazelae group has been discovered in the Mindanao faunal region, to which the island of Leyte belongs,” Badeo said.
Source: www.mb.com.ph/scientists-discover-2-frog-species-in-southern-leyte-forest/
Restituto A. Cayubit
December 18, 2014
Tacloban City – Scientists are studying the species of two kinds of frogs found in Southern Leyte, a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office 8 (DENR-8) based here said.
DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said that two kinds of frogs of still unknown species were discovered by the team conducting the validation and assessment of natural resources and biodiversity in the forest of Mount Nacolod bordering several towns in the province. Herpetologists experts or scientists studying reptiles and amphibians are now looking into the characteristics of the newfound frogs, according to Sibbaluca.
“Herpetologists from the Philippines and the United States are now working on the formal taxonomic description of the species,” he said.
DENR-8 Protected Area Wildlife Division officer-in-charge and New Conservation Areas in the Philippines Project Mt. Nacolod Management Officer Crisostomo Badeo Jr., who is also a forester, said that the two species are allied to two different species groups, the Platymantis guentheri group and Platymantis hazelae group.
“Interestingly, this is the first time that a Platymantis species belonging to the hazelae group has been discovered in the Mindanao faunal region, to which the island of Leyte belongs,” Badeo said.
Source: www.mb.com.ph/scientists-discover-2-frog-species-in-southern-leyte-forest/