Common Name: Amami Oshima Frog
Scientific Name:Odorrana splendida
Family: Ranidae – True Frog family
Location: Japan
Female Size: 3.7 – 4.4 inches (94.6 – 110.5 mm), 4.4 – 5.4 inches (112.1 – 137.4 mm)
Male Size: 2.9 – 4.3 inches (74.4 – 109.3 mm), 4.4 – 4.9 inches (111.1 – 124.4 mm)
The Amami Oshima Frog lives in and around the streams in the Amani Island. The frog has two distinct morphotype sizes with the larger size that lives Uken region of the island. The frog is a relatively new species, once considered part of the Ishikawa’s Frog (Odorrana ishikawae) species. It turns out the two closely related species can not breed together.
The frog breeds from late January to May, peaking in February and March. The male frogs call out from trees or on rocks to try to attract female frogs. Once the female frog arrives, the pair heads to the stream and try to find a spot where the water isn’t flowing as hard. There, the female frog lays her eggs and the male frog fertilizes them. Neither parent provides any parental care.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Amami Oshima Frog as Endangered with Extinction. The frog has a small range since its only found on one small island. Its range is also fragmented and declining in quality due to human developments such as roads, villages, and dams. Additionally, the Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus), which was introduced to the island to control snake populations, also predates on the frog, decreasing the population size.