Abstract

Rates of evaporative water loss (EWL) and cutaneous resistance (R_c) to water flux were measured for the two native frog species from the Fiji Islands: the Fiji Ground Frog, Platymantis vitianus, and the Fiji Tree Frog, Platymantis vitiensis (Anura: Ranidae). Surface area specific evaporative water loss was similar between the species: 10.2 (± 1.7) and 9.0 (± 1.7) mg cm⁻² h⁻¹ for P. vitiensis and P. vitianus, respectively. The total resistance (R_t) to water loss did not differ from estimates of similarly sized and shaped agar models (representative of a free water surface) for either species; thus, native Fijian frogs are “typical” anurans that have negligible cutaneous resistance (R_c) to EWL. Platymantis vitiensis is apparently able to exploit an arboreal habit, despite the concomitant increase in desiccating conditions, because of the humid environment of the Fiji Islands and by living near streams and rivers.