Download malabar narrow- mouthed frog

# 130
21 May 2017
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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