Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Colouration: Much variable, from pale grey to
dark brown with black irregular blotches on body
(may be with some white or yellow spots and a
pale vertebral line) and limbs above, rear surface
of thighs brown with a series of yellow spots;
whitish below with blackish throat.
Sexual Dimorphism: Male smaller than
female, with a single external vocal sac (formed
of two lobes, connected in middle) that appears
like a fold of skin on dark brown throat.
Size: 6.5 cm in snout to vent length.
Habitat and Ecology
Inhabits seasonal, deciduous forest, dry plains
and scrubland, grassland, plantations and tempo-
rary stagnant water bodies and areas of human
habitation. Adults are often found underground
cover. Breeding takes place in pools, puddles or
ponds during monsoon.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
Threats
Habitat loss as a result of infrastructure develop-
ment is the main threat to this species. It is also
threatened by agrochemical pollution and wet-
land degradation.
Tadpole
Smooth above, yellowish to deep brown with
dark brown spots, a V-shaped mark between
eyes and another M-shaped one on back, tail
marked with brown blotches, belly densely
pigmented.
Remarks
This species was transferred to the genus
Sphaerotheca
by Dubois
1987
. Dubois (
1987
)
considers
Sphaerotheca strachani
as either
incer-
tae sedis
within
Sphaerotheca
or as a synonym of
S. breviceps
. The taxonomy of
Sphaerotheca
breviceps
needs further investigation.
Family: Microhylidae Gunther, 1858
(Narrow-Mouthed Frogs)
Subfamily: Microhylinae Gunther, 1858
Genus:
Microhyla
Tschudi, 1838
Distribution
At elevations from sea level up to 1,500 m.
Localities in Doon Valley
Eastern Doon Valley: Rajpur, Rajaji National
Park and Sahastradhara (
partim
).
Western Doon Valley: Dehra Dun City,
Dhalipur, Sahaspur, Selakui, Jhajra, Kalsi and
Karvapani.
Microhyla ornata
(Dumeril
and Bibron, 1841)
Uttarakhand
Dehra Dun, Tehri, Pauri, Uttarkashi, Nainital and
Pithoragarh. Corbett Tiger Reserve, Gobind
Pashu Vihar and Rajaji National Park.
English Names
Ant Frog, Black-Throated Frog, Narrow-Mouthed
Ornate Frog, Orange-Yellow-Mouthed Frog,
Ornamented Pygmy Frog, Ornate Frog, Ornate
Narrow-Mouthed Frog and Ornate Rice Frog.
India
Gangetic Plain to southern India. Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Eastern
Ghats, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh
(Sirmour), Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil
Nadu, Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad, Agra) and
West Bengal.
Diagnostic Characters
Adult
Tympanum hidden; tongue entire; 1st fi nger
shorter than 2nd, 3rd the longest, 4th slightly lon-
ger than 2nd, sub-articular tubercles prominent;
toes with a rudimentary web at base, sub-articular
tubercles distinct, inner metatarsal tubercle elon-
gated, outer small and round; skin smooth with
Elsewhere
Myanmar, Nepal (below 3,000 m), Pakistan
(Punjab and Sind) and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh
and Maldives (possibly).
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