Diversity and microhabitat preferences of anuran species in the secondary forest and riverine areas in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

The research study focused on the diversity and microhabitat preferences of anuran species in secondary forests and riverine areas in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental. It was particularly conducted in three different elevations (upper, mid, and lower) at Barangay Manga and Barangay Hoyohoy. Visual Encounter Survey and Capture-mark-release methods were used. Fifteen (15) species belonging to six (6) families were identified from 276 individuals captured, namely: Ansonia mcgregori, Ansonia muelleri, Ingerophrynus philippinicus, Rhinella marina, Fejevarya vittigera, Hoplobatrachus rugulosus, Limnonectes leytensis, Limnonectes magnus, Kalophrynus sinensis, Kaloula pulchra, Leptobrachium lumadorum, Megophrys stejnegeri, Leptomantis bimaculatos, Polypedates leucomystax, and Pulchrana grandocula, of which eleven species are endemics and four species are non-endemics. Both study areas attained moderate species diversity, however Barangay Hoyohoy showed a higher similarity index among all sampling sites. Most anuran species encountered preferred aquatic microhabitats, with Pulchrana grandocula as the most abundant species (69.99%) observed. Relative humidity as an environmental factor influenced its abundance in each sampling area. Primary threats such as human disturbances and habitat destruction were observed in Barangay Manga. Thus, researchers recommend conservation strategies and enforcement of policies to protect the study areas as well as anurans assemblage. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES)