''Blaira'' is a small genus of
true toads
A true toad is any member of the family Bufonidae, in the order Anura (frogs and toads). This is the only family of anurans in which all members are known as toads, although some may be called frogs (such as harlequin frogs). The bufonids now ...
endemic to the southern
Western Ghats, India.
The genus was erected in 2021 as a valid substitute name for ''Ghatophryne'' which was created in 2009 for ''
Ansonia ornata'' which was found to be distinct enough to warrant its own genus. This was however considered an invalid description as it was published in an only a digital medium (before 2012, the ICZN rules were subsquently modified); ''
Ansonia rubigina'' was moved based on its morphological similarity and distribution.
Description
''Blaira'' are small-sized toads with adult males measuring up to and females up to in snout–vent length. The
dorsum is reddish brown; ventrum is dark brownish black with prominent yellowish-orange spots. They do not possess
parotoid gland
The parotoid gland (alternatively, paratoid gland) is an external skin gland on the back, neck, and shoulder of toads and some frogs and salamanders. It can secrete a number of milky alkaloid substances (depending on the species) known collective ...
s. Fingers are free of webbing whereas the toes are medium webbed. Skin on dorsum has sparsely granular projections, especially on anterior half of the body. Eggs are non-pigmented.
Tadpole
A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found i ...
s have a suctorial disk, an adaptation to mountain streams.
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Species
This small genus has two species at present:Blaira ornata
''Blaira ornata'', known with common names ornate toad, Malabar torrent toad or black torrent toad, is a rare and endangered species of toad endemic to the Western Ghats. In 2009, this species along with ''A. rubigina'' was shifted from '' A ...
'' (Günther, 1876) — ornate toad, Malabar torrent toad, or black torrent toad
* ''Blaira rubigina
''Blaira rubigina'' is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the southern Western Ghats, India, and is known from Silent Valley and Wynaad, both in Kerala. Its common names include Kerala stream toad, Silent Valley torr ...
'' (Pillai and Pattabiraman, 1981) — Kerala stream toad, Silent Valley torrent toad, or red torrent toad
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3104797
Amphibians of Asia
Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats
Amphibian genera