''Nanorana rarica'' (common names: Rara paa frog, Rara Lake frog) is a frog species in the family Dicroglossidae. It is endemic to western Nepal. Its type locality is the eponymous Rara Lake located in the Rara National Park.

Description

Adult males measure , subadult males , and subadult females in snout–vent length. The snout is rounded. The tympanum is not very distinct whereas the supratymapnic fold is prominent. Adult males have enlarged forelimbs. During the reproductive period, adult males have black, horny nuptial spines on their chest and forelimbs. The fingers are not webbed. The toes are long and webbed to their tips, although the webbing is strongly incurved between the toes. Preserved individuals are greyish above and have warts with blackish spots. There are numerous blackish markings on the head. The upper parts of the limbs have crossbars. The lower parts of the body and the limbs are whitish, while the throat is greyish. The tadpoles of

Gosner stage Gosner stage is a generalized system of describing stages of embryonal and larval development in anurans (frogs and toads). The Gosner system includes 46 numbered stages, from fertilized embryo (stage 1) to the completion of metamorphosis (stage ...

37 measure about in total length and in body length. They have a large oral disc and a muscular tail with not so well-developed caudal fin. Rara

Habitat and conservation

The habitat and ecological requirements of this species are poorly known. It is known from the Lake Rara at an elevation of about

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

, and is associated with tropical montane forest. Threats to this species are not known. In addition to the Rara National Park, it might also occur in the Chitwan National Park.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q585070 rarica Amphibians of Nepal Endemic fauna of Nepal Amphibians described in 2001 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot