On a rainy night on 6 July 2015, we encountered an arthropod of the genus Scutigera feeding on a juvenile Western Tree Frog, Polypedates occidentalis. Commonly known as the house centipede, the Scutigera spp we saw was chewing on the eye of the froglet. We made observations for about five minutes and continued on our survey as part of the annual “Bisle frog watch” activity. The froglet seemed to be stunned with venom, as it never moved. This incident was … Read More
New Frog Species Described and Named After Goa State
In the lowland areas of the Western Ghats of Goa and in the hilly tracts of Belgaum, it’s quite common to hear the tinkling 12 to 14-note ‘trick, trick’ chorus call from mud pools, paddy fields and local water bodies in the late evenings during the monsoon. Many of these are terrestrial frogs calling to attract females. These frogs belong to the amphibian genus Fejervarya of the family Dicroglossidae and are commonly known as either ‘cricket frogs’ or ‘fejervaryan frogs’. … Read More
Purple Frog, Anamalai Hills
The Purple Frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis) is a rare and recent addition to the frog world. With its closest relatives in the Seychelles, the purple frog is thought to have evolved separately for millennia. Its discovery also adds to the evidence that Madagascar and the Seychelles separated from the Indian landmass sometime well after the breakup of Gondwana had started. Described to science as late as 2003, the species is now known to be quite widely distributed in the Western Ghats. … Read More
Chalazodes Bubble Nest Frog
The Chalazodes Bubble Nest frog (Roaorchestes chalazodes) is one of India’s critically endangered frog. The species, originally described by Günther in 1876 based on a single specimen that is now located in the British Museum of Natural History, was lost to science for about 136 years. It was thought to be extinct until recently, when it was rediscovered in the remote forests of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu by Dr. Ganesan R, Seshadri.K.S and Dr. Biju S.D. … Read More
Book Review — Pictorial Guide to Frogs and Toads of Western Ghats by Gururaja K.V.
This field guide to the amphibians of the Western Ghats is not just a tool for researchers.
Did you know that most toads tend to have poisonous glands while most frogs don’t? Frogs also feel slimier when held, while toads are rough. Also, there are several very bright, even beautiful, frogs and toads.
“I find them all beautiful,” says Gururaja K.V., who has been researching amphibians since 1998 and has recently put together a guide titled Pictorial Guide to Frogs … Read More
12 New Frog Species Discovered in India
A team of scientists who have spent years combing tropical mountain forests have found 12 new frog species as well as rediscovered 3 that were thought to be extinct. SD Biju of Delhi University, who headed the team has said that frogs are extremely important indicators of the climate change and pollutants in the environment. Globally, as many as 32% of amphibian species are facing extinction due to habitat loss as well as pollution. Many of the new frogs found, … Read More
Lost Amphibians of India (LAI) initiative rediscovers five species of frogs
Scientists from the University of Delhi and other researchers who collaborated with them in the LAI program have rediscovered five species of frogs previously believed to have been extinct. The rediscovered species are: Chalazodes Bubble-nest Frog (Raorchestes chalazodes), last reported 137 years ago; Anamalai Dot-frog (Ramanella anamalaiensis), last reported 74 years ago; Dehradun Stream frog (Amolops chakrataensis), last seen 26 years ago; Silent Valley tropical frog (Micrixalus thampii), last seen 31 years ago; and Elegant tropical frog (Micrixalus elegans), last … Read More
CI is a non-profit, non-commercial portal that aims to facilitate wildlife and nature conservation by providing reliable information and the tools needed to campaign effectively.
