New frog species found in Western Ghats

[Mrudul Godbole]

Shring some good news which I read in an article today.

CHENNAI: A new species of frog has been found near Anaimudi, the highest peak in south India, in Western Ghats. Named Raorchestes, the species is morphologically dissimilar to any other known family of the frog.

The species was found by a team of scientists from Delhi University, led by Sathyabhama Das Biju, associate professor, School of Environmental Studies, at Eravikulam National Park in Idukki district of Kerala. It has a bright orange to reddish colour, multiple macroglands on the body and extremely short limbs.

Biju told TOI, "This frog is known to live only in the Anaimudi summit. I first located it in 2001 and then spent nearly seven years to complete this study including its remarkable reproductive behaviour."

Link - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/h...ow/5895970.cms

[Lakshminarayanan Nataraja]

Not sure how many undiscovered species are in store in W.ghats - especially in south w.ghats. W.Ghats certainly is a repository of life.

Nearly 130 known species of frogs have gone extinct so far and it is believed that many species would have perished even before discovery.

Frogs are diagnostic symbols of our forests. Even a brief study about them is addicting for such diverse the entire species is.

Shir.S.U.Saravanakumar, Chennai based cinematographer turned researcher did a study on frogs in W.Ghats and some material is available in the net. Those materials are very interesting and informative.

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

This certainly is great news. The western Ghats are home to an abundance of amphibians, more than 80% of which are endemic. The purple frog was discovered here in 2003. And now this one. Wonder how many more are waiting to be discovered. Analysis of amphibian populations are direct indicators of the health of a region.