Rhacophorus lateralis
Encyclopedia
Rhacophorus lateralis is an endangered species of Rhacophorid
tree frog
endemic to the Western Ghats
in South India
. Its natural habitat
s is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
s, intermittent freshwater marsh
es and plantation
s. After its original description in 1883 by George Albert Boulenger
, the frog was rediscovered in 2000 by Daniel Bennett and team from University of Aberdeen
expedition to the region Along with R malabaricus
, it is one of the few anuran amphibians in India that constructs its nest above the ground using leaves.
in 1883 based on a single specimen from Malabar (present-day Kerala
) collected by Richard Henry Beddome
. Several later surveys did not report the species until its rediscovery in the year 2000 in course of an expedition to the Western Ghats by a team from University of Aberdeen
. The re-discovery was based on two adult females and an unsexed metamorph specimens collected from Lakunda estate in Virajpet
taluka in South Kodagu
. The frog is slender with a short head and snout and a distinct canthus rostralis. The nostrils are nearer to the tip of the snout than to the eye. The eyes are large with the tympanum
half the diameter of the eye and a distinct supratympanic fold. The fingers and toes have an enlarged disc possessing circummarginal grooves. The upper portion (dorsum) is smooth, belly is granular and a characteristic dorsolateral yellow streak on either side of the upper body from the nostril to the groin is distinctive. Colour variations even within the same individual have been reported and have been attributed to stress. Repeated handling reduces colour change.
A green and a brown colour morphs have been described. Individuals with the green dorsum have the green colour interspersed with fine sky blue spots. The individuals with brown dorsum have darker brown spots; no demarcating blue line bordering the yellow stripe from the eye to the groin.
s in Eravikulam National Park
and Kudremukh National Park, plantations in Kodagu
and Chikkamagaluru
in Karnataka
and Wayanad in Kerala
and adjoining sub-tropical evergreen forests in the southern Western Ghats
. It is endemic to this region. It has often been reported in association with Rhacophorus malabaricus
.
Rhacophoridae
Rhacophoridae is a family of frog species, which occur in tropical regions of Asia and Africa. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as "moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frogs"...
tree frog
Tree frog
Hylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semi-aquatic.-Characteristics:...
endemic to the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, intermittent freshwater marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s. After its original description in 1883 by George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, the frog was rediscovered in 2000 by Daniel Bennett and team from University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
expedition to the region Along with R malabaricus
Rhacophorus malabaricus
The Malabar Flying Frog is a moss frog species found in the Western Ghats of India.-Behavior:The term "flying frog" refers to its ability to break their fall by stretching the webbing between their toes when making leaps down from the treetops...
, it is one of the few anuran amphibians in India that constructs its nest above the ground using leaves.
Description
The frog was described by George Albert BoulengerGeorge Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
in 1883 based on a single specimen from Malabar (present-day Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
) collected by Richard Henry Beddome
Richard Henry Beddome
Colonel Richard Henry Beddome was a British military officer in India, chief conservator of the Madras Forest Department and a naturalist...
. Several later surveys did not report the species until its rediscovery in the year 2000 in course of an expedition to the Western Ghats by a team from University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
. The re-discovery was based on two adult females and an unsexed metamorph specimens collected from Lakunda estate in Virajpet
Virajpet
The town of Virajpet is the second town of the district of Kodagu, in Karnataka. It is the main town of the Virajpet taluka, in the south of the district. The name is an abbreviation of Virarajendrapete after the former ruler of Kodagu, Virarajendra, and this latter form is still sometimes used.It...
taluka in South Kodagu
Kodagu
Kodagu , also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg, is an administrative district in Karnataka, India. It occupies an area of in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, 13.74% of which resided in the district's urban centres, making it the least...
. The frog is slender with a short head and snout and a distinct canthus rostralis. The nostrils are nearer to the tip of the snout than to the eye. The eyes are large with the tympanum
Tympanum (zoology)
The tympanum is an external hearing structure in animals such as frogs, toads, insects, and mammals, to name a few.-Anurans:In frogs and toads, it is located just behind the eye. It does not actually process sound waves; it simply transmits them to the amphibian's inner ear, which is protected...
half the diameter of the eye and a distinct supratympanic fold. The fingers and toes have an enlarged disc possessing circummarginal grooves. The upper portion (dorsum) is smooth, belly is granular and a characteristic dorsolateral yellow streak on either side of the upper body from the nostril to the groin is distinctive. Colour variations even within the same individual have been reported and have been attributed to stress. Repeated handling reduces colour change.
A green and a brown colour morphs have been described. Individuals with the green dorsum have the green colour interspersed with fine sky blue spots. The individuals with brown dorsum have darker brown spots; no demarcating blue line bordering the yellow stripe from the eye to the groin.
Habitat
The species has been reported from sholaShola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
s in Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05'N - 10º20'N latitude and 77º0'E - 77º10'E longitude...
and Kudremukh National Park, plantations in Kodagu
Kodagu
Kodagu , also known by its anglicised former name of Coorg, is an administrative district in Karnataka, India. It occupies an area of in the Western Ghats of southwestern Karnataka. As of 2001, the population was 548,561, 13.74% of which resided in the district's urban centres, making it the least...
and Chikkamagaluru
Chikkamagaluru
Chikmagalur is a town located in Chikkamagaluru district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located in the foothills of Mullayanagiri range chikmagalur is famous for the coffee, it is known as the coffee land of karnataka. it has international school called ambar valley and a star resort by name...
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
and Wayanad in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and adjoining sub-tropical evergreen forests in the southern Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
. It is endemic to this region. It has often been reported in association with Rhacophorus malabaricus
Rhacophorus malabaricus
The Malabar Flying Frog is a moss frog species found in the Western Ghats of India.-Behavior:The term "flying frog" refers to its ability to break their fall by stretching the webbing between their toes when making leaps down from the treetops...
.