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# 130 21 May 2017 frog leg MALABAR NARROW- MOUTHED FROG Deformities in endemic Uperodon triangularis in Nilgiris Dorsal view IUCN Red List: Global — Vulnerable B1ab(iii) (Biju et al. 2016) Ventral view Amphibian deformities have remained one of the most Amphibia [Class of amphibians] prominent and controversial environmental issues of the past Anura [Order of Frogs and toads] mouthed Frog Uperodon triangularis Günther, 1876 is an endemic Microhylidae [Family of Narrowmouthed Frog] Uperodon triangularis [Malabar Narrowmouthed Frog] Species described by Günther in 1876 Zoo’s Print fifteen years (Sessions & Ballengee 2010). Malabar Narrowspecies found in southern Western Ghats of India (elevation 300–1000 m) and found in moist places like moist deciduous and evergreen forest, plantation and human habitations (Gururaja 2012) with an extent of occurrence less than 20,000km2, its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its forest habitat in southern India (Biju et al. 2016). In this note, we present observations on deformities in U. triangularis in the Nilgiris. Vol. 32 | No. 5 15 # 130 21 May 2017 frog leg On 11 & 12 June 2016, during a field trip to Emerald, Nilgiris, we observed a total of eight deformed individuals of U. triangularis in the agricultural areas. Emerald area is located in southern Nilgiri District close to Avalanche Reserve Forest. Species was identified based on the taxonomic key provided by (Gururaja 2012). Most of the individuals were found having missing legs, feet or digits on forelimb and hind limbs (Table 1). Morphometric measurements were taken using a digital caliper (measured to the nearest 0.1mm). The snout to vent length (SVL) of U. triangularis ranged between 13.2mm and 35.8mm, body width (BW) ranged between 2.1mm and 20.2mm, head length (HL) ranged between 3.1mm and 12.2mm, head width (HW) ranged Distribution: Endemic to southern Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka) between 3.1mm and 10.3mm, fore limb (FLL) length ranged between 6.4mm and 28.6mm and hind limb (HLL) ranged between 12.1mm and 36.4mm (Table 1). Table 1. Morphometric measurement of U. triangularis Individuals Size 1 Juvenile 2 Juvenile 3 Adult 4 Adult 5 Adult 6 Adult 7 Adult 8 Adult Deformities Morphometric (mm) Missing leg on right hindlimb Missing digits on right forelimb and right hindlimb Missing digits on left hindlimb Missing digits on left forelimb Missing digits on right hindlimb Missing two digits on right hindlimb Missing digits on left hindlimb Missing foot on left hindlimb SVL BW HL HW FLL HLL 13.2 2.1 3.2 3.1 6.4 12.1 14.5 2.3 3.6 3.3 6.6 12.4 30.2 16.5 8.4 6.2 23.4 28.2 35.8 20.2 12.2 10.2 28.6 36.4 35.4 20.1 12.2 10.2 28.4 36.3 32.4 17.2 9.1 6.9 24.2 30.2 34.6 18.8 11.3 9.4 26.2 34.1 32.9 17.4 9.3 6.9 24.6 30.5 SVL - Snout to vent length; BW - Body width; HL - Head length; FLL - Fore limb; HLL - Hind limb Several reports have been recorded in the presence of abnormalities/deformities in frogs like Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Kurulkar & Deshpande 1932), Fejervarya sp, Fejervarya limnocharis, Euphlyctis hexadactylus, Hyla annectans, Amolops gerbillus, Polypedates sp (Mathew & Sen 2006), Indirana beddomii (Nair & Kumar 2007), Fejervarya rufescens (Nair & Kumar 2007), Fejervarya limnocharis, Fejervarya keralensis, Fejervarya brevipalmata and Fejervarya rufescens (Gurushankara et al. 2007) from the Indian region. Among these, four species (Indirana beddomii, Fejervarya rufescens, F. keralensis, F. brevipalmata) are endemic Zoo’s Print Vol. 32 | No. 5 16 # 130 21 May 2017 frog leg to Western Ghats. However, this present observation is the first record of this endemic species. Several factors have been proposed as the cause of abnormalities/deformities in amphibians, with parasitic infection, injuries from predation, UV-B radiation, and chemical contamination being the most widespread and studied (Johnson et al. 2010). All the four factors have support, yet each has its problems as well. Ouellet et al. (1997) reported that deformity rates tend to be higher in agricultural areas suggesting that the herbicides and pesticides are the likely causes, and also correlated the use of pesticide with high frequency of hind limb abnormality. Similar to in the present study, most affected limb was hindlimbs (six out of eight case). Therefore, present observation on deformities of U. triangularis in the agricultural areas, indicates that may be due to pesticide impact on this endemic species. Exposure to pesticides in the laboratory causes deformities, and the general consensus is that amphibian deformities in the U.S. are occurring at increasing frequencies (Johnson et al. 2010). This is a short time observation, therefore more scientific study is required to predict the pesticide impact on amphibians in the Nilgiris and moreover to take conservation actions to protect endemic amphibian species. References Biju, S.D., G.D. Buddhe, S. Dutta, K. Vasudevan, C. Srinivasulu & S.P. Vijayakumar (2016). Uperodon triangularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T57991A91632460.en. Gururaja, K.V. (2012). Pictorial Guide to Frogs and Toads of Western Ghats. Gubbi Labs Publication, 154pp. Gurushankara, H.P., S.V. Krishnamurthy & V. Vasudev (2007). Morphological abnormalities in natural populations of common frogs inhabiting agroecosystems of central Western Ghats. Applied Herpetology 4: 39–45. Johnson, P.T.J., M.K. Reeves, S.K. Krest & A.K. Pinkney (2010). A decade of deformities. Advances in our understanding of amphibian malformations and their implications. pp.511-536. In: Sparling DW, Linder G, Bishop CA, Krest SK (eds) Ecotoxicology of amphibians and reptiles, 2nd edn. SETAC Press and CRC Press, New York. Kurulkar, G.M. & D.S. Deshpande (1932). Congenital absence of a forelimb in a bull frog (Rana tigerina). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 35(2): 462. Mathew, R. & N. Sen (2006). Notes on abnormalities/deformities in anurans (Amphibia). Cobra 63: 6–10. Nair, V.M. & K.S. Kumar (2005). Deformed frogs - An ecological alarm? Frog Leg 12: 2. Nair, V.M. & K.S. Kumar (2007). One eye frog, Sphaerotheca rufescens (Jerdon, 1854) from Konaje, Mangalore, Karnataka. Frog Leg 13: 10–11. Ouellet, M., J. Bonin, J. Rodrigue, J.L. DesGranges & S. Lair (1997). Hindlimb deformities (ectromelia, ectrodactyly) in free living anurans from agricultural habitats. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 33: 95–104. Sessions, S.K. & B. Ballengee (2010). Developmental Deformities in Amphibians, Brandon Ballengee Malamp, The Occurrence of Deformities in Amphibians, Arts Catalyst. London and Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, England, 62–72pp. P. Santhoshkumar1, J. Leona Princy2 & P. Kannan3 Herpetology, Department of Zoology and Wildlife Biology, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu 643002, India. Email: [email protected] (corresponding author) 1-3 Citation: Santhoshkumar, P., J. Leona Princy & P. Kannan (2017). Malabar Narrow-mouthed Frog: Deformities in endemic Uperodon triangularis in Nilgiris. frog leg#130, In: Zoo’s Print 32(5): 15:17 Zoo’s Print Vol. 32 | No. 5 17