DAVAO CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Davao region recently reported an intriguing relationship between a rare frog species and a dormant pitcher plant inside the Mount Apo Natural Park.

Calling it as a remarkable breakthrough, the DENR-Davao region noted the astonishing ecological relationship between a rare Anuran (frog) species and a dormant pitcher plant (𝑁𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑠𝑝.) discovered within the pristine landscapes of the Mount Apo Natural Park (MANP).

THE Microhylid frog inside the pitcher plant in Mount Apo. (𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜 c𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑀𝑟. 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑜 𝐽𝑟.)

The report, which was published on the Herpetological Bulletin on December 1, disclosed that the Microhylid frog, identified as 𝑂𝑟𝑒𝑜𝑝ℎ𝑟𝑦𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎, which was found in the secondary forest montane of the country’s highest peak, utilized the opening of pitcher plants as a refuge.

It further noted that the researchers found the frog comfortably residing inside a dormant pitcher plant, which marked a significant and previously unreported discovery in the Philippines.

According to the lead author, Erl Pfian  Maglangit, a fellow of the Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM) at Central Mindanao University (CMU) and the Premiere Research Institute of Science and Mathematics at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), this occurrence was the first to have been recorded in the in the Philippines.

Maglangit’s said the occurrence was observed during an assessment conducted during the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geoparks aspiration-related biodiversity assessment in Mount Apo in 2022.

In a phone separate interview on December 18, the author described it as a peculiar relationship between the two species. 

“Since frogs are nocturnal, we found it resting inside the pitcher plant during daytime. It may be seeking refuge to reduce risk of predation.”

But he emphasized that the pitcher plant, which they found in the Santa Cruz side of Mount Apo, was already dormant.

“We observed O. anulata positioned upright, unharmed and partly submerged in the fluid within the pitcher. Notably, we did not detect any viscid fluid in the digestive zone, suggesting that this pitcher was dormant/sedentary,” Maglangit said in his report.

“We can only speculate on the relationship between O. anulata and N. copelandii.  It is possible that the frog may have fallen into the pitcher plant by accident and was unable to escape. Alternatively, it may be that the frog was actually using the pitcher as a refuge during the day to reduce the risk of predation. If this were the case, then possibly the frog was unaffected by digestive fluid, as the pitcher, being dormant, may have lacked digestive fluid,” he added.

The DENR pointed out that this unexpected relationship offers valuable insights into the interconnected processes of different ecosystems and microhabitats as it also reveals how endemic and rare species thrive in specific environments.

"Despite the surprising nature of the find, the country, with its 115-anuran species, had not documented Microhylids, like 𝑂. 𝑎𝑛𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑎, using Nepenthes for survival.”

Manlangit produced the paper in collaboration with National Scientist Dr. Victor B. Amoroso, Professor Emeritus Dr. Noel E. Lagunday, and Romeo R. Patano Jr., all from CMU, and Russel Evan L. Venturina from the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The scientific article's collaborative also includes DENR-Davao personnel Clint Michael Cleofe of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Davao de Oro, Cylle Marie S. Nadonza-Cleofe of the Office of the Regional Director-Regional Strategic Communications and Initiatives Group (ORED-RSCIG), and Forester Daryl Jane C. Bordios of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office in Digos City as its authors.

Maglangit underscored the importance of further studies since it is vital to understand the ecology of the Philippine endemic species to be able to safeguard their habitat.

“Especially for amphibians (frogs), which are bioindicators of the health of our watersheds that provide drinking water to our community,” he added.  “We can only protect what we know.”