Beddomixalus

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Beddomixalus bijui
Beddomixalus bijui Munnar.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Subfamily: Rhacophorinae
Genus: Beddomixalus
Abraham, Pyron, Ansil, Zachariah, and Zachariah, 2013 [1]
Species:
B. bijui
Binomial name
Beddomixalus bijui
(Zachariah, Dinesh, Radhakrishnan, Kunhikrishnan, Palot, and Vishnudas, 2011)
Synonyms [2]
  • Polypedates bijuiZachariah, Dinesh, Radhakrishnan, Kunhikrishnan, Palot, and Vishnudas, 2011 [3]

Beddomixalus is a monotypic genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. [4] [5] The only described species, Beddomixalus bijui, is endemic to the Western Ghats, India. [2] Its name is derived from a combination of the cognomen of Richard Henry Beddome, in honour of his work on the amphibian diversity of the Western Ghats, as well as Ixalus, which is often used as a suffix for names of rhacophorid genera. [1] [6]

Contents

Description

Beddomixalus differs from the other rhacophorid genera by being a slender and elongated medium-sized frog, the female measuring up to 6.1 centimetres (2.4 in) in length; its yellowish-buff or reddish-brown dorsum carrying two distinct yellowish-cream longitudinal stripes; vomerine teeth and an absent lingual papilla; distinct supratympanic fold as well as tympanum; a rounded canthus rostralis; an obtusely concave loreal region; a simple and tubular Wolffian duct. At the same time, the early development of non-pigmented eggs occur exposed on moist swamp beds, without protection nor parental care; it has free-living aquatic tadpoles which are adapted to lentic conditions; and the genus inhabits mid- to high elevation forests. [1]

Colour

Male

Its dorsum is of buff-brown colour with a dark stripe between the eyes; a dark stripe extends medially from its interorbital region to its vent. It possesses two light-coloured, yellowish-cream longitudinal stripes extending along its dorsolateral region, on either side of its body, which are bordered on the lower side by black dots; a broad dark band extends from below the snout along the tympanum as well, up to the middle of the animal's flank, where it morphs into a pale patch covered in vermiculations. [1]

Female

It has a reddish- to orange-brown dorsum with similar dark and light bands and vermiculations as in the male, while its ventral surface is white. [1]

Tadpoles

Tadpoles are small, exotrophic and nektonic. They are oval, depressed and dark pigmented from the snout to the tip of the tail, including their fins. The ventral side is pale pink and less pigmented. Eyes are reddish and of moderate size. The musculus interhyoideus and intestine are visible through the ventrum. Its naris is equidistant from its snout and eye. Its tail fin is moderate and rounded at the end. The lower jaw sheath is V-shaped. [1]

Tadpoles of this species were observed with completely developed hindlimbs at stage 40, with a pale dorsolateral band appearing at stage 42. Its eyes are bright red and its body pigmentation is a greenish-yellow by stage 44, whilst metamorphs begin emerging on land. During stage 46, froglets are found on swamp vegetation. [1]

Behaviour

The type species is primarily arboreal, inhabiting trees in and around highland swamps or marshes. During early breeding season, males were observed to aggregate around optimal breeding locations in unfilled swamp beds. They begin migrating to these during the onset of pre-monsoon showers from surrounding forest. Most males rest on shrubs and bushes up to a height of about 2 metres (6.6 ft) and make a pulsating breeding chorus in unison. Air around these males is said to stink of "burnt rubber", similar to that felt around aggregating males of Hylarana malabarica . This odour is thought to be produced by glands on their dorsolateral margin. Males come down from their calling spots as night progresses and move on to grass patches in the swamp beds. [1]

Amplexus is pectoral. Eggs are non-pigmented and semiterrestrial, with an average diameter of 3.2mm. They are scattered on moist soil or a grassy substrate. Total clutch size was observed as 175 eggs. [1]

Distribution

B. bijui is found in an elevation of between 1,100 to 1,600 metres (3,600 to 5,200 ft) above sea level in evergreen forests in the Eravikulam plateau. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhacophoridae</span> Family of amphibians

The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs in tropical sub-Saharan Africa, South India and Sri Lanka, Japan, northeastern India to eastern China and Taiwan, south through the Philippines and Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. They are commonly known as shrub frogs, or more ambiguously as "moss frogs" or "bush frogs". Some Rhacophoridae are called "tree frogs". Among the most spectacular members of this family are numerous "flying frogs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhacophorinae</span> Subfamily of amphibians

The Rhacophorinae are a subfamily of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. They range from tropical Africa and Asia to temperate China and Japan.

<i>Polypedates</i> Genus of amphibians

Polypedates is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, the shrub frogs and Paleotropic tree frogs. They belong to subfamily Rhacophorinae. Members of this genus are collectively known as whipping frogs. They occur in eastern and southern Asia.

<i>Rhacophorus lateralis</i> Species of amphibian

Rhacophorus lateralis is a rhacophorid tree frog endemic to the Western Ghats in South India. It has several common names: small tree frog, Boulenger's tree frog, small gliding frog, and winged gliding frog. After its original description in 1883 by George Albert Boulenger, the frog was rediscovered in Coorg in 2000 and has since been found in many parts of the Western Ghats around southern Karnataka and northern Kerala. Along with R. malabaricus, it is one of the few anuran amphibians in India that constructs its nest above the ground using leaves.

<i>Raorchestes ochlandrae</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes ochlandrae is a species of shrub frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India. This species of the oriental shrub frog was first described from Kakkayam Reserve Forest of Calicut district, Kerala state, in the southern Western Ghats in 2007 but has since been recorded at many other sites along the Western Ghats. The specific name ochlandrae refers to microhabitat of the species, bamboo Ochlandra setigera.

<i>Raorchestes anili</i> Species of frog

Raorchestes anili, known commonly as Anil's bush frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae.

<i>Mercurana</i> Genus of amphibians

Mercurana is a genus of arboreal frogs belonging to the family Rhacophoridae. The genus was named from the only known species Mercurana myristicapalustris, which was described in 2013 from the Western Ghats of Kerala, India. The generic name was derived from and given as a tribute to Freddie Mercury, the late vocalist of the British rock band Queen, in combination with the Latin name for "frog". The frog is different from other related frogs in that it has extensively webbed toes, lives only in swampy lowlands, and lays its eggs on mud with which it carefully mixes leaf litter.

<i>Ghatixalus</i> Genus of amphibians

Ghatixalus is a genus of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae, subfamily Rhacophorinae. They are endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India. They are the sister taxon to a larger clade consisting of Chiromantis, Feihyla, Taruga, Polypedates, and Rhacophorus. The name of the genus combines words "Ghats" and "Ixalus". The former refers to the Western Ghats, and the latter to now-abandoned genus name that lives as the suffix in many generic names for rhacophorid frogs.

<i>Raorchestes agasthyaensis</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes agasthyaensis, the Agasthiamalai bushfrog, is a frog found in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, particularly in Bonacaud near Ponmudi as well as nearby areas of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. The species is named after Agasthyamalai, its type locality.

<i>Raorchestes crustai</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes crustai is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Bonacaud in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. It has been observed between 600 and 1500 meters above sea level.

<i>Raorchestes johnceei</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes johnceei is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Bonacaud in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. It has been observed between 900 and 1300 meters above sea level.

<i>Raorchestes kadalarensis</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes kadalarensis is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Kadalar near Munnar in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. This frog has been observed between 1300 and 1700 meters above sea level.

<i>Raorchestes manohari</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes manohari is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Bonacaud in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. The species is named after T. M. Manoharan, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Kerala.

<i>Raorchestes ravii</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes ravii is a species of frogs of the genus Raorchestes found in Naduvattam in the district of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, India, about 1890 meters above sea level. The species is named after Ravi Chandran, an enthusiast from Wayanad who discovered the species.

Raorchestes thodai or the Thoda bush frog is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Ooty in the Nilgiris district of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu in India. Scientists have observed it in the type locality, 1980 meters above sea level. The species is named after the Thoda tribe who dwell in the region.

Raorchestes theuerkaufi is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in the tea estates of Kadalar near Munnar, Idukki district, in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. The species is named after Wolfgang Theuerkauf, a botanist and director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala.

<i>Raorchestes uthamani</i> Species of amphibian

Utham's tree frog is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Gavi, Pathanamthitta district, in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India. Scientists first observed it near, near a cardamom plantation in Gavi, 1000 meters above sea level. The species is named after two naturalists, bird photographer, P.K. Uthaman, and Deputy Conservator of Forests, K.V. Uthaman.

<i>Raorchestes silentvalley</i> Species of amphibian

Raorchestes silentvalley or Silent Valley bushfrog is a species of tree frog endemic to the Nilgiri Hills of southern India and belongs to the species-rich Asian genus Raorchestes. The species was described in June, 2016 and has been found to have a very restricted distribution on the southwestern slopes of the Nilgiri Hills in the Silent Valley National Park. This frog has been observed 2100 meters above sea level in Silent Valley National Park.

Raorchestes lechiya, or Lechiyappan's bush frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to India. Scientists know it exclusively from the type locality: 2023 meters above sea level in Silent Valley National Park. This frog has been observed between 1800 and 2200 meters above sea level.

Ghatixalus magnus, the large-sized Ghat tree frog, is a species of frog in the subfamily Rhacophorinae. It is endemic to India, in the southern Western Ghat mountains, between the Palakkad Gap and Shencottah Gap.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Abraham, Robin Kurian; Pyron, R. Alexander; Ansil, Basheer Rahmath; Zachariah, Arun & Zachariah, Anil (2013). "Two novel genera and one new species of treefrog (Anura: Rhacophoridae) highlight cryptic diversity in the Western Ghats of India". Zootaxa. 3640 (2): 177–199. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3640.2.3. PMID   26000411.
  2. 1 2 Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Beddomixalus bijui (Zachariah, Dinesh, Radhakrishnan, Kunhikrishnan, Palot, and Vishnudas, 2011)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  3. ↑ Zachariah, A.; Dinesh, K. P.; Radhakrishnan, C.; Kunhikrishnan, E.; Palot, M. J. & Vishnudas, C. K. (2011). "A new species of Polypedates Tschudi (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India". Biosystematica. 5 (1): 49–53.
  4. ↑ Frost, Darrel R. (2019). "Beddomixalus Abraham, Pyron, Ansil, Zachariah, and Zachariah, 2013". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Rhacophoridae". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Beddomixalus bijui". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.

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