Frog endemic to the higher altitudes of Western Ghats ‘rediscovered’

Subject :ENVIRONMENT

Section: Species in news

Context: After 89 years, frog endemic to the higher altitudes of Western Ghats ‘rediscovered’

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The Jerdon’s narrow-mouthed frog (Uperodon montanus) could once be spotted leaping over slippery pebbles or peeping from behind rocks in the shallows of streams in the upper reaches of the Western Ghats.
But since it was last studied in 1934 by a British scientist, the species faded into oblivion, rarely spotted by residents and researchers or wrongly identified as other ambhibians that look similar.
This changed last year when a group of zoologists photographed 40 tadpoles of the species in the biodiverse Western Ghats, in the same stages of development they were last identified 89 years ago, according to a new report published.

Jerdon’s narrow-mouthed frog

The frogs have a longish snout, which gives it its name, and shiny brown skin with darker brown, red and golden spots on the back and head. They are found in rock pools or tree holes filled with rainwater.
This frog is considered a montane species and is restricted to higher altitude ranges of 800-1,700 metres.
This species is found in Moist deciduous forest, Semi-evergreen forest and Evergreen forest. Rain-water filled tree holes are the favoured microhabitat of these frogs.
It is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
Its tadpoles are free-swimming and exotrophic, which means they feed on other species.

Endemic Species:

Endemic species are plant and animal species that are found in a particular geographical region and nowhere else in the world.