''Uperodon anamalaiensis'', also known as Anamalai dot frog, Anamalai ramanella, or reddish-brown microhylid frog, is a species of narrow-mouthed frog (family
Microhylidae
The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family of frogs. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family.
Evolution
A molecular phylo ...
) found in
South India. The
holotype was discovered at the base of the
Anaimalai Hills,
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
district in the southern
Western Ghats.
[ The holotype is missing and the status of the species was uncertain till 2010. Until rediscovered in the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary in 2010, this frog was reported only once by ]C. R. Narayan Rao
C.R. Narayan Rao (15 August 1882 – 2 January 1960) was an Indian zoologist and herpetologist. He was among the founding editors of the journal ''Current Science''. In recognition of his pioneering work on Indian amphibians, the genus ''R ...
in 1937.
Description
Multiple populations of this species were located by S.P. Vijayakumar, Anil Zachariah, David Raju, Sachin Rai and S.D. Biju in different habitats within Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This frog exhibits a light to dark-brown dorsum with two yellow lines and scattered yellow spots. The underside of the body is brown with scattered white spots, giving it the common name 'Anamalai dot frog'. This frog calls loudly during the monsoon season. It hides under stones and logs on the forest floor or within tree holes during the rest of the year.[
]
References
* Biju, S.D. 2001. A synopsis to the frog fauna of the Western Ghats, India. Occasional Publication 1. ISCB. 1-24.
* Dutta, S.K. 1997. Amphibians of India and Sri Lanka. Odyssey Publishing House. Bhubaneswar.
* Rao, C.R.N. 1937. On some new forms of Batrachia from south India. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences. 6(6):387-427.
External sources
Photos of Ramanella anamalaiensis
*Rediscovery of five lost frogs from India (manuscript in preparation)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q28041919, from2=Q545748
anamalaiensis
Frogs of India
Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats
Taxa named by C. R. Narayan Rao
Amphibians described in 1937