| MAMMALS | REPTILES | HOME | AMPHIBIANS | BIRDS |
AN INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN AMPHIBIANS
| CLASS : AMPHIBIA | |
| ORDER : ANURA (Frogs) | |
| FAMILY : BUFONIDAE | |
| Bufo melanostictus Schneider | Common toad |
| FAMILY : MICROHYLIDAE | |
| Microhyla ornata Dumeril & Bibron | |
| Kaloula pulchra Gray | Painted frog |
| FAMILY : RANIDAE | |
| Hoplobatrachus crassus Jerdon | Jerdon's bull frog |
| Hoplobatrachus (Rana) tigrina Daudin | Indian bull frog |
| FAMILY : RHACOPHORIDAE | |
| Polypedates maculatus Gray | Tree frog |
1. Jaws toothless . ..2
Upper jaw toothed ... .3
2. Skin rough with well developed warts, parotids present ..... .Bufonidae
Skin more or less smooth, parotids absent ... ..Microhylidae
3. An intercalary ossification between the distal
and penultimate phalanges . .Rhacophoridae
No intercalary ossification between the distal
and penultimate phalanges . Ranidae
(Common toad)
Habit : Terrestrial.
Habitat : Plains and grasslands.
Diagnostic Characters : Dorsally brown or yellowish-brown, sometimes with black spots. Tips of warts and ridges of head usually deep brown to black. Ventrally yellowish, more or less spotted with brown. Dorsal skin rough with more or less prominent spiny warts and tubercles of various sizes. Ventral surface smooth. Tympanum large and distinct, nearly two-thirds of eye; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching eyes. Fingers free, toes half to two-third webbed.
Global Distribution : South Asia, South-east Asia and West Asia (Australasia).
Regional Distribution : Throughout India.
Status : Vulnerable.
Habit : Terrestrial.
Habitat : Fossorial moist dry humus, secondary forest, scrub forests and human habitation.
Diagnostic Characters : Head broader than long; snout obtusely pointed, a little longer than the diameter of the eye; nostril nearer to the tip of snout than the eye; interorbital width a little broader than that of upper eyelid; tympanum not so distinct. Fingers free, first shorter than second, tips flattened. Toes with a rudiment of web, tips blunt. Dorsum smooth, brownish with broad darker markings. Venter smooth, dull whitish, little darker on throat.
Global Distribution : South and South-east Asia.
Regional Distribution : Throughout India.
(Painted frog)
Habit : Subterranean to arboreal.
Habitat : Plantations, scrubs.
Diagnostic Characters : Head broader than long; snout rounded, as long as the diameter of the eye; nostril nearer to the tip of snout than the eye; inter-orbital width much broader than that of upper eyelid; tympanum hidden. Fingers free, first shorter than second, tips bearing well-developed truncate discs; sub-articular tubercles of fingers and toes distinct. Toes one-third webbed, tips obtusely swollen. Dorsum rough with scattered warts, and greyish with reddish-brown patches on throat and under surface of thighs and light brownish.
Global Distribution : India, Sri Lanka.
Regional Distribution : Assam, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu.
Status : Lower risk-near threatened.
(Jerdons bull frog)
Habit : Subterranean.
Habitat : Moist wetlands to temporary pools or puddles, paddy fields and sandy tracts.
Diagnostic Characters : Head a little broader than long; snout generally pointed, projecting beyond the mouth, longer than the diameter of the eye. Fingers free, first longer than second. Toes entirely webbed, penultimate phalange of fourth toe free, tips not pointed. Dorsum light greyish with interrupted long warts. Venter dull whitish with darker spots on throat and smooth.
Global Distribution : Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka.
Regional Distribution : Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Peninsular India, Uttar Pradesh.
(Indian bull frog)
Habit : Semi-aquatic.
Habitat : Innundated area, particularly edges.
Diagnostic Characters : Head as long as broad, slightly depressed; snout pointed, projecting much beyond lower jaw. Dorsally yellowish to olive-green, marked with large irregular blackish spots which may be disposed in longitudinal series on the back or forming two or three cross bands. A dark band running anteriorly from eye to snout over the nostril. Fore limbs much shorter in comparison to hind limbs; fingers free, long with rounded tips.
Global Distribution : South Asia and Myanmar.
Regional Distribution : All over India up to 1100 m.
(Tree frog)
Habit : Arboreal.
Habitat : Forest and human habitation.
Diagnostic Characters : Head broader than long, skin on head free, pointed, projecting a little beyond the mouth; nostril nearer to the tip of snout than eye. Tympanum distinct, about three-fourth diameter of the eye. Fingers with rudimentary web, tips of fingers and toes bear horse-shoe shaped distinct discs. Toes nearly three-fourth webbed, two phalanges of fourth toe free. Dorsum brownish with light darker spots and smooth. Venter dull whitish and granular, skin on head free.
Global Distribution : South Asia.
Regional Distribution : Plains of India in general.
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