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Palawan Sun Skink

    Leaves, twigs, and barks that have fallen to the ground make up leaf litter, and it's home to a wide variety of plants and animals. Most of the tiny animals found in the leaf litter are invertebrates. They are important food source for toads, skinks, and other small amphibians and reptiles that rely on the shelter and moisture provided by the leaf litter. One of the many creatures living in the leaf litter habitats of Palawan is the Palawan Sun Skink ( Eutropis sahulinghangganan ), a newly described species of skink endemic to Palawan. The name Eutropis sahulinghangganan derives from the Tagalog "sa huling" or "sa huli ng" (meaning in the last), and "hangganan" (meaning frontier). Palawan Sun Skink     The Palawan Sun Skink inhabits thick coastal forests, mangroves, as well as secondary forests and primary forests up in the mountains. I have seen this skink near the peak of Mount Beaufort at elevations of around 1000 masl, but the population of thi...

Palawan Splash Frog

Palawan Splash Frog Staurois nubilus photo by Jojo De Peralta
     The Staurois nubilus (Mocquard, 1890) or Palawan Splash Frog, also called Palawan Rock Frog is an endemic amphibian listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution and large population in Palawan. It can be found along clear and flowing streams and rivers in secondary and primary forest up to small, fast-flowing streams on mountain slopes. It is known lay eggs and undergoes larval development in clear water.

Palawan Splash Frog Staurois nubilus photo by Jojo De Peralta
Palawan Splash Frog

     There is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat due to agricultural activities, but the Staurois nubilus is one of the most common frog in Palawan, and the impact on this species is not yet visible. The species is abundant in all major mountain ranges in Palawan and is very common around rivers and streams where it occurs.

Palawan Splash Frog Staurois nubilus photo by Jojo De Peralta
Palawan Splash Frog
     This frog’s genus is an ancient member of the true frog family Ranidae and is sometimes known as foot-flagging frog. It refers to their unusual behavior of waving their hind legs and feet. This species is largely active during the day. At night, it can be found perched on overhanging leaves and twigs around the streams and rivers or on top of rocks alongside the water and boulders lining the banks.
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