Raorchestes | |
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Raorchestes signatus | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Anura |
Family: | Rhacophoridae |
Subfamily: | Rhacophorinae |
Genus: | Raorchestes Biju, Shouche, Dubois, Dutta, and Bossuyt, 2010 [1] |
Type species | |
Ixalus glandulosus Jerdon, 1854 | |
Diversity | |
See text |
Raorchestes is a genus of frogs in the subfamily Rhacophorinae [2] that are found in mountainous regions of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and southern China. [3] A recent study places Raorchestes as a sister taxon of Pseudophilautus . [2] [4] Before the description of the genus in 2010, species now in Raorchestes had been assigned to genera Ixalus (no longer recognized), Philautus , and Pseudophilautus . [2]
The genus is named in honour of C. R. Narayan Rao in recognition of his contribution to Indian batrachology. [3] The other root orchestes is based on an older genus name for frogs of the Philautus group, Orchestes Tschudi 1838. [5] Extensive exploration in the range of the genus in the Western Ghats of India suggests an under-estimation of the number of species in the genus. [6] [7] [8] A study of the diverse species of the genus show that the separate isolated massifs of the Western Ghats played a major role in the speciation and habitat specificity seen in the genus of bush frogs. [7]
Raorchestes are largely nocturnal, relatively small frogs with adult body size 15–45 mm (0.6–1.8 in) in snout-vent length. They lack vomerine teeth. Males have a large transparent vocal sac while calling. All described species of Raorchestes thus far, show direct development, that is, their life cycle does not involve a free-swimming tadpole stage. [9] Their eggs hatch-out froglets skipping the tadpole stage making them less dependent on water. [9] Raorchestes tinniens eggs took 36 days to hatch and temperature played a huge role in the development times. [10] Different individuals of a species within this genus can be difficult to identify in the field because of color and pattern variations. [6] Species of the genus Raorchestes also have different variations in their iris and pupil coloration. [3] Difficulties in field identifications are leading to more integrative species description practices within the genus. [11] These difficulties have also led to potential misidentification of species and ranges. [12]
Frogs of the genus Raorchestes are known as bush frogs, and are known to use different arboreal niches. [7] The exception being the short-limbed Raorchestes resplendens that is known to be ground-dwelling and was discovered on the highest peak of the Western Ghats called Anamudi. [13]
One group is found in the mountain ranges of southern India (in the Western and Eastern Ghats) and another group ranges from northeastern India to Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos to southern China and Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia. [3] They are most diverse in the Western Ghats of India; in contrast, only eight species from the genus have been reported from southeast Asia and China. [3] [12] [14]
IUCN has assessed 38 species of Raorchestes. Many species are Critically Endangered, and one species ( Raorchestes travancoricus ) was already considered extinct, [15] only to be rediscovered in 2004. [15] [3] [16] Of the 38, eight are data deficient and 23 are in the critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable categories. [15] The Amphibian Specialist Group's list of "lost frogs" (frogs not seen for decades) includes 10 Raorchestes species. [16] Since several species of the genus have been described in the last 15 years conservation data is relatively poor as are detailed life-history studies. [3] [6] [11] Several species of the genus are known to have very narrow distribution ranges and are tied to specific niches in the environment which makes it difficult to have blanket conservation policy for the genus. [7] [13]
Several species of Raorchestes have been reported in checklists generated from both protected areas, as well as, agro and plantation landscapes. [17] [18]
Many new species from India have been described since 2000. [19] [20] The following species are currently recognised in the genus Raorchestes:. [2]
The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs that occur 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".
The Rhacophorinae are a subfamily of frogs in the family Rhacophoridae. They range from tropical Africa and Asia to temperate China and Japan.
Nyctibatrachus is a genus of frogs endemic to the Western Ghats of southwestern India. Their common name is night frogs. Their scientific name also means "night frog", in reference to their habits and dark color. They are the only extant members of the monotypic subfamily Nyctibatrachinae. Currently, 35 species belong to Nyctibatrachus.
Micrixalus is a genus of frogs from that are endemic to the Western Ghats in India. They are monotypic within the family Micrixalidae. Before being raised to the family level they were classified as the subfamily Micrixalinae within Ranidae. Micrixalus frogs, such as Micrixalus saxicola, are popularly known as "dancing frogs" due to their peculiar habit of waving their feet to attract females during the breeding season. Dancing frogs are extremely vulnerable as their habitat is severely threatened.
The Malabar gliding frog or Malabar flying frog is a rhacophorid tree frog species found in the Western Ghats of India.
Raorchestes chalazodes is a species of critically endangered frog in the family Rhacophoridae. Raorchestes chalazodes is a nocturnal and arboreal species found in the understorey of tropical moist evergreen forest and is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. The specific name chalazodes is composed of the Greek word χάλαζα (chalaza) meaning "lump" and -odes for the derived adjective, reflecting white granulation of the body.
Raorchestes flaviventris is a species of arboreal, nocturnal, frog of the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, South India. Its common name is yellow-bellied bush frog.
Raorchestes glandulosus, also known as glandular bush frog, rough-skinned bush frog, southern bubble-nest frog, and with many other names, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, and known from the states of Karnataka and Kerala.
Raorchestes luteolus is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, where it is only known from the state of Karnataka. Many of the known populations are from the Kodagu district, known also by its anglicised former name of Coorg—hence the common name. It is also known from the Shimoga district in the Sharavathi basin where it was described as a new species, Philautus neelanethrus, but this is now considered to be a junior synonym of Raorchestes luteolus.
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.
Raorchestes dubois is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae.
Raorchestes resplendens, the resplendent shrubfrog, is a critically endangered species of frog belonging to the family Rhacophoridae endemic to the high altitude region around the south Indian peak of Anaimudi. It has extremely short limbs and numerous macroglands and was discovered from the Anamudi summit in the Western Ghats of Kerala, India and is known only from the Eravikulam National Park.
Raorchestes jayarami, also known as Jayaram's bush frog, is a species of frog from the subfamily rhacophoridae found in Valparai in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu in India. Individuals of this species from the genus Raorchestes have morphs that range from plain green to variations with splotches and dots of darker greens and in some cases yellow. Anuran's from the genus Raorchestes, show direct-development while allows them to be independent from a waterbody for the development of tadpoles.
Raorchestes kadalarensis is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Kadalar near Munnar in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India.
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.
Raorchestes archeos is a species of frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India. It is known from wet evergreen forests in the Agasthyamalai and Devarmalai ranges between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Raorchestes hassanensis, the Hassan bush frog or Dutta's bubble-nest frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to India, including the Western Ghats.
Raorchestes drutaahu, the fast-calling shrub frog, is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to in India. Scientists have observed this frog in Kodaikanal in the Western Ghat mountains, between 1000 and 1450 meters above sea level.
Raorchestes primarrumpfi is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to India and has been observed high in the Nilgiri Massif mountains.
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