| Fiji Ground Frog | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Ranidae |
| Genus: | Platymantis |
| Species: | P. vitianus |
| Binomial name | |
| Platymantis vitianus (Dumeril, 1853) |
|
The Fiji Ground Frog or Fijian Ground Frog (Platymantis vitianus) is a species of frog in the Ranidae family. It is endemic to Fiji.
The Fiji ground frog is found on four larger islands (Taveuni, Vanua Levu, Ovalau, and Gau) and a small island, Viwa, (0.6 ha) off the eastern coast of the main island (Viti Levu) of the Fiji archipelago. The species maintains populations throughout the forested (primary, secondary and coastal/littoral) parts of these islands (Osborne, unpublished data).
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, plantations, rural gardens, and secondary/regrowth forest. It can also be found in grassland, along ephemeral streams, where it forages for nocturnal insects.
A largish frog, it can grow up to 100 g and to body lengths (SUL) of 110 mm. The larger individuals tend to be a very dull dark brown (sometimes with yellow spots on either side of the head near the tympanum). However, smaller adults and juvenile frogs can be highly polymorphic in coloration, with banding and stippling in darker or lighter hues of red, brown, green and curry-yellow. It is distinguished from the Platymantis vitiensis (Platymantis vitiensis) by its larger size and smaller toe pads.
The Fiji ground is a nocturnal ground dweller, however, individuals have been encountered on low branches and leaves of riparian forest vegetation. It is thought to be a sit and wait predator, waiting for nocturnal insects to venture nearby.
Reproduction:
The breeding cycle of these frogs is affected by extrinsic environmental conditions and intrinsic reproductive hormonal mechanisms. During the active breeding phase mature gravid females clearly show the presence of large creamy eggs. Nesting occurs terrestrially, mostly underneath rotting logs, and crevices within coconut tree barks and within bamboos. This species lays around 50-60 eggs inside prepared nests and covered with leaf litter. Embryonic development takes place 29-30 days and froglets hatch directly from eggs forgoing the tadpole stage. The age at maturity of P. vitianus is still not known.
Distribution, abundance and conservation status of the Fijian Ground Frog (Platymantis vitianus). Unpublished report for the BP Conservation Programme.