Identification of anuran species diversity of the Panna Tiger Reserve, Central India, using an integrated approach

Abstract

We present a comprehensive inventory of amphibians from Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh based on morphological, molecular and bioacoustic data. Representatives of 15 anuran species were collected, corresponding to roughly four fifths of the known amphibian species of Madhya Pradesh. The main results of this study are: (1) Description of advertisement calls of eleven species, including the first-time description of advertisement calls of Sphaerotheca pashchima. (2) Identification of cryptic species using acoustic and molecular techniques. (3) Five new significant range extensions and new state records. (4) Description of geographical variation in call properties in three anuran species. This study also provides morphological descriptions with ecological and natural history notes for each species that may be useful in management planning for amphibian conservation in Panna Tiger Reserve.

Range extension of the Western Burrowing Frog, Sphaerotheca pashchima (Anura: Dicroglossidae), in central and northern India with an overview of the distribution of other Indian species in the Genus Sphaerotheca

“…Our delimitation analysis reconfirmed this species to be S. pashchima. Prasad et al (2020) genetically confirmed the presence of the species in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. Our study also confirmed the occurrence of S. pashchima in eastern Maharashtra, extending the species' range into central India (Fig.…”

Review and Updating: Anurans (Amphibia) of Bihar and Jharkhand, India, with some new records from Jehanabad (Bihar) and their role as potential biological controllers

“…Males acquire bright yellow colour during breeding season to attract females. Snout-Vent Length: 65-158 mm (Boulenger, 1920); 16-161 mm (Sanyal et al, 1991); 89-137 mm ; 17-154 mm (Sarkar et al, 1992); 71.0-88.5 mm ; 62 mm ; 52-143 (Ray and Tilak, 1995); 134 mm ; 20-159 mm ; 72-143 mm (Sarkar and Ray, 2006); 54-94 and 50-144 mm (Deuti et al, 2014); 41.22-85.64 and 60-150 mm (Deuti et al, 2017); male 153.9 mm (Prasad et al, 2020).…”

“…Hand book Indian amphibians: 28, 265;Sarkar et al, 2004. Fauna of Bihar (including Jharkhand) (Sarkar et al, 1992;; subarticular tubercles blunt, mixed with flat palmer glands; palmer tubercle distinct, triangular and wider in front; toes more than 1/2 nd to 2/3 rd webbed, two phalanges of 4 th toe free; toes 2/3 rd webbed (Ray, 1999; or scarcely webbed (Prasad et al, 2020); subarticular tubercles small; inner and outer metatarsal tubercles sharp-edged and equal sized ; tibio-tarsal articulation reaching between tympanum and eye (Sarkar et al, 1992; or hind edge of eye (Ray, 1999;Husain et al, 2020) or between shoulder and eye . Colouration: Brownish, greyish or olive-brown with smooth warts and mixed grey blotches; fingertips black; vocal sac of calling male white or yellowish.…”

“…Colouration: Brownish, greyish or olive-brown with smooth warts and mixed grey blotches; fingertips black; vocal sac of calling male white or yellowish. Snout-Vent Length: 76.2 mm /3 in (Boulenger, 1890); 27-79 mm ; 8-86 mm (Sarkar et al, 1992); 10-80 mm (Ray and Tilak, 1995); juvenile 10-30 mm, adult 76 mm ; 12-75 mm ; 90 mm (Ingle, 2011); 52-67 and 38-76 mm (Deuti et al, 2014); 90 mm ; 42-86 mm (Deuti et al, 2017); male 47.5 mm (Prasad et al, 2020). Altitudinal Records: 1829 m / 6,000 ft in Nepal (Annandale and Rao, 1918); 100-1,828 m in Nepal ; 230 m at Kesinga and 435 m at Semiliguda, Odisha (Deuti et al, 2014); up to 4,500 m iucnredlist (Ray, 1999), 1 st longer than 2 nd , 3 rd longest, 4 th little longer than 2 nd ; subarticular tubercles of fingers and toes small, feebly distinct; toes fully webbed, penultimate phalange of 4 th toe free; tips not pointed (Sarkar et al, 1992) or swollen (Ray, 1999; or slightly rounded (Prasad et al, 2020); inner metatarsal tubercle well developed, shovel-shaped and sharp-edged and outer metatarsal tubercle absent Prasad et al, 2020;Deuti et al, 2017); tibio-tarsal articulation reaching tympanum or eye (Sarkar et al, 1992; or hind margin of tympanum but not beyond (Ray, 1999); hind limbs when folded at right angle to body, heals not overlap.…”

“…Colouration: Greyish, greyish-brown, greenish or olivegreen with irregular dark blotches, interrupted long warts and often a light vertebral line. Snout-Vent Length: 76-112 mm (Boulenger, 1920); males 74.0-77.5, females 65-86 mm (Bhaduri, 1944); 57-73 mm ; 20-100 mm (Sarkar et al, 1992); 47-72 mm (Ray and Tilak, 1995); 120 mm ; 36-72 mm ; 57-94 and 40-86 mm (Deuti et al, 2014);130 mm ; 40-86 mm (Deuti et al, 2017); 80-100 mm (Ingle, 2020); male 70.2, individual (sex not known) 92.2 mm (Prasad et al, 2020). Altitudinal Records: 500 m at Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand (Ray and Tilak, 1995); 129 m at Renigunta, Andhra Pradesh; 230 m at Kesinga and 370 m at Rayagada, Odisha (Deuti et al, 2014); up to 600 m iucnredlist), below 400 m, Nepal (Frost, 2021 or obtusely pointed (Ray, 1999) or tips not sharply pointed Deuti et al, 2017); subarticular tubercles small but very prominent or well developed (Ray, 1999) or small and feebly developed ; subarticular tubercles of fingers and toes not very distinct ; toes fully webbed, webbing on two distal digits of 4 th toe very narrow but connecting tips, with prominent rounded tips, subarticular tubercles small but prominent, a prominent dermal fold on inner side of 5 th toe ; toes obtuse, somewhat swollen at tip, metatarsals separated nearly to base, subarticular tubercles distinct but comparatively smaller in size (Ray, 1999); toes not sharply pointed (Deuti et al,…”