Amphibians of Doon Valley (Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand) with Their Systematics, Distribution, Ecology, Conservation Status and Threats - Aquatic Ecosystem: Biodiversity, Ecology and Conservation - page 211

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Amphibians of Doon Valley (Dehra
Dun, Uttarakhand) with Their
Systematics, Distribution, Ecology,
Conservation Status and Threats

Akhlaq Husain *

Abstract
The amphibian fauna of Doon Valley belonging to ten species, eight genera
and four families under single order has been dealt in this paper, with
various English names and updated systematic account of species,
tadpoles, distribution in the valley (eastern and western parts), Uttarakhand
(including conservation areas), rest of India and elsewhere, habitat and
ecology, conservation status and threats.

Keywords
Amphibians ￿ Distribution ￿ Ecology ￿ Diversity

Introduction

and as regards their conservation status, they all
fall under 'Least Concern' category of IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Red List of Threatened Species. Interestingly,
Duttaphrynus stomaticus , the Marbled Toad,
occurs in deserts of Oman (in Arabian Peninsula)
also and in contrast D. melanostictus in Nanda
Devi Biosphere Reserve, in Himalayan Highlands
Biogeographic Zonation (around the peak of
Nanda Devi, 7,817 m in Uttarakhand, India).

The amphibian fauna of Dehra Dun and around
has been worked out by various workers during the
past (Tilak and Husain 1977 ; Ray 1995 , 1999 ; Ray
and Tilak 1995 ; Husain 2003 ; Mehta and Uniyal
2007 ; Bahuguna and Bhutia 2010 ), but no consoli-
dated account of the species in the Doon Valley is
available and hence the present study has been
taken up for an update. Waltner ( 1974 ) provided
geographical and altitudinal distribution of species
in Himalaya. A total of ten species of toads and
frogs belonging to eight genera, four families and
single order have been collected from the valley,

Doon Valley

Doon Valley is a unique spindle-shaped, fl at
geomorphic terrain in the Garhwal Himalaya. It
is bounded by the northern Siwaliks and Lesser
Himalayan hills and in the south by Siwalik Hills.
It is transversely bordered by Ganga in southeast
and Yamuna in north-west. The north-western