A new species of skittering frog has been identified from the surroundings of the Thattekad Bird Sanctuary in Kerala. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Mount Carmel College (MCC), Bengaluru, and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, made the discovery.
The new species is named Euphlyctis Kerala in honour of the remarkable biodiversity of the state. Kerala is known to have 180 species of frogs and there could be many more new species awaiting formal descriptions.
Initial studies suggest that Euphlyctis Kerala is found in the fresh water bodies of the foothills of the Western Ghats, south of the Palakkad Gap. Since these frogs live in fresh water bodies, conservation of these freshwater systems plays a crucial role in conservation of the species.
Members of the genus Euphlyctis (skittering frogs) have their distribution range from Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, pal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand. Earlier, skittering frog species known from India were thought to be widespread across other countries, but this research shows some of the frogs as native to India.
Picture Credit : Google
