THE ANURANS OF

AGUSAN MARSH

Merlita Lopez-Almeria and Olga M. Nuñeza

Department of Biological Sciences
School of Graduate Studies
MSU- Iligan Institute of Technology, Tibanga Iligan City
 Why Agusan Marsh?

¾largest marshland in Asia

¾stores more than 15% of the nation’s freshwater resource
¾ecologically significant wetland;
¾host and protect rare, threatened & endangered species;
¾ has a number of pristine habitats;
 WHAT ARE AMPHIBIANS?

amphi = “both” bios = “life”

 Data on Amphibians
101 Species in the Philippines
79 Endemic (Diesmos,2005)
21 Species previously recorded
(Agusan marsh Wildlife Sanctuary Profile)
12 Species and 7 Endemic
(Basilan and Ibañez, 2005 unpublished)
 Importance of Amphibians?
Bioindicator Models in Scientific Studies

Source Food Biological Control

Energy Flow Source of Medicine

 Objectives of the Study
(1) To determine the current status of amphibians in
the marsh.
(2) To determine the Species composition and
Abundance of amphibians in the four habitat types
in Agusan marsh.
(3) To determine the endemic and threatened species
present in the area.
(4) To generate a list of socio-economically important
species of amphibians and its threats in the
Marsh.
Agusan Marsh, Province of Agusan del Sur
 Study Area
Sago Forest (Site 1)
 Study Area
Terminalia Forest (Site 2)
 Study Area
Mixed-swamp Forest (Site 3)
 Study Area
Peat Swamp Forest (Site 4)
SAMPLING PROCEDURE
1. Quadrat Sampling
2. Opportunistic Approach
3. Pitfall Traps Methods
4. Ethnobiological Survey
 Results
18 Species of Anurans recorded
Threatened:
4 Vulnerable
1 Near Threatened
13 Least Concern
Endemics: 55.55%
4 Philippine Endemic
2 Mindanao Faunal Endemic
1 Mindanao Island Endemic
3 New species
New species Results
Oreophryne sp.1 Oreophryne sp.2

Philautus sp.
 Results

Vulnerable frogs Rhracophorus bimaculatus

Limnonectes parvus

Philautus acutirostris Philautus poecilus

 List of Anurans in Agusan Marsh I
Terminalia Mixed Swamp Peat swamp
Sago Forest Forest Forest Forest TOTAL
Family Bufonidae
Bufo marinus 0 16 0 68 84
Family Microhylidae
Kaloula baleata 1 4 0 0 5
Kaloula conjuncta
meridionalis 0 3 2 2 7
Oreophryne sp.1 4 10 1 0 15
Oreophryne sp.2 1 2 3 0 6
Familly Ranidae
Occidozyga laevis 65 55 14 28 162
Genus Rana
Fejervarya cancrivora 49 108 51 30 238
Fejervarya limnocharis 24 62 18 19 123
Limnonectes parvus 2 12 3 5 22
Limnonectes leytensis 2 27 22 17 68
Limnonectes woodworthi 25 35 39 43 142
Rana everetti 4 11 6 6 27
 List of Anurans in Agusan Marsh II
Sago Terminalia Mixed Swamp Peat swamp
Forest Forest Forest Forest TOTAL
Family Rhacpphoridae
Genus Philautus
Philautus sp. 5 1 1 0 7
Philautus acutirostris 0 5 2 3 10
Philautus poecilus 5 1 1 0 7

Genus Rhacophorus
Polypedates leucomystax 10 10 25 12 57
Rhacophorus appendiculatus 7 15 3 4 29
Rhacophorus bimaculatus 3 2 1 2 8

Total Number of Individuals 207 379 192 239 1075

Total Number of Species 15 18 16 13 18

Total Number of Endemics 9 10 10 6 10

Total Number of Threatened
Species 7 8 8 4 8
Anurans of Agusan Marsh
Family Ranidae
Anurans of Agusan Marsh
Microhylidae Bufonidae

Ranidae
 Anurans of Agusan Marsh

Rhacophoridae
3
 Threats of Anurans in the Marsh
Pollution of rivers and streams
 Threats of Anurans in the Marsh
Use as food
 Threats of Anurans in the Marsh
Draining of swamps for agriculture
Threats of Anurans in the Marsh
Introduction of alien species
 C

CONCLUSION
¾Diversity of anurans is high with 55.55%
endemism in Agusan marsh.
¾Abundant species are socio-economically
important frogs in the marsh.
¾Discovery of species new to science suspected
as native to Agusan.
¾Terminalia and Mixed-swamp forests are rich in
anuran species.
¾Most of the endemic species are facing threats
in the marsh.
 C

RECOMMENDATION
¾ Further study on the biology of the new frog
species.
¾Further study on the alien or invasive species
particularly its effect on the ecology of the marsh.
¾To have a constant amphibian monitoring.
¾Provision of health, education and development
services to the people that channeled towards
conservation in the marsh appears to be
necessary.
Thank you…