Philippine Journal of Science
153 No. 6B: 2393-2397, December 2024
ISSN 0031 – 7683
Date Received: 15 Mar 2024
Behavioral Observations on the Breeding Habitat of Chaperina fusca Mocquard, 1892 in Iligan City, the Philippines
Andrie Bon Alix Flores1,2*, Jireh Ramos Rosales3, Earl Kevin Tero Cooper4, Elah Marie Mainit Salamida3, Denmar de Leon Magsalay5, and Olga Macas Nuñeza3
1Biodiversity Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Nangang District, Taipei 11529 Taiwan 2School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Wenshan District, Taipei 11677 Taiwan 3Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology, Tibanga, Iligan City 9200 the Philippines 4Environmental DNA Research and Development Center, Mindanao State University Naawan, Naawan 9023 Misamis Oriental, the Philippines 5College of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, Labuyo, Tangub City 7214 the Philippines
*Corresponding author: andriebon.flores@g.msuiit.edu.ph
Flores ABA et al. 2024. Behavioral Observations on the Breeding Habitat of Chaperina fusca Mocquard, 1892 in Iligan City, the Philippines. Philipp J Sci 153(6B): 2393–2397.
ABSTRACT
The Chaperina fusca (saffron-bellied frog) is a common species of anurans in the Philippines. However, it still lacks a basic understanding of its natural history, particularly regarding its breeding behavior and ecology in the wild. In a herpetological fieldwork conducted in Rogongon, Iligan City, the Chaperina fusca exhibited a peculiar behavior, particularly in its parental care. Two adult individuals (male and female) of C. fusca were observed inside the water-filled hollow of the same tree fern stump, along with the tadpoles, suggesting parental care in the form of guarding their offspring both diurnally and nocturnally. This is the first observation denoting the parental care extension of the species from egg to tadpoles because the past literature only stated that they have egg guarding. Apart from this, differences in the chronobiological parenting behavior of the Chaperina fusca were also first documented in this paper. Thus, we highly recommend further assessment on this matter not just for this species but for other species as well.