Mating of Himalayan Toad

[Samrat Sarkar]

Saw this mating seen of Himalayan Toad at a village named Tinchuley near Takdah forest in Darjeeling. The mating lasted for three days. The amplexus of Toads are about ten types.

1. Inguinal - Male clasps female with forelimbs around her waist. Vents are not close to each other. This category includes pelvic amplexus.
2. Axillary - Male clasps female with forelimbs at the level of her shoulders or under her forelimbs. Male and female vents are close to each other. In some species male is also glued.
3. Cephalic - Male clasps female pressing under her jaw, or either side of her head.
4. Gular - Male clasps female exclusively around her throat
5. No Amplexus - Absence of mating grasp between male and female.
6. Glued - Male is attached to the posterior part of the female body. He is 'glued' to the female by a mucus skin secretion.
7. Dorsal straddle - Contact without clasping. Male sits on the back of the female and press her against a substrate.
8. Head Straddle - Contact without clasping. The male sits on the back of the head of the female, allowing his sperm to runs on her back.
9. Loose amplexus - Male on the back of the female but without clasping her.
10. Scapular amplexus - Male on the back of the female, pressing his fits into each side oh the female vertebral column.

This is Axillary amplexus. The protruding tongue of female probably because of tight grasp of male, more study needed. I'll share a detail trip report in future.

Olympus OMD EM1 + Zuiko 12-40 PRO
ISO 400, 1/320, f8 +0.03, Full frame, tilt correction done.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Is the male glued here with the liquid which can be seen in the image? The protuding tongue looks quite big. The female is bigger in size as compared to the male. Look forward to the trip report. Thanks for sharing the details of this behaviour.

[Samrat Sarkar]

Yes the male is glued here. The females are bigger than male in Himalayan toad. Thanks for your comment.
Samrat

[Sabyasachi Patra]

The image and information reminded me of +2 zoology class. Those days we used to do dissection of frogs and toads. These days catching frogs and toads for dissection is banned. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi