Calling male.An Adult female Rhacophorus malabaricus resting on the building of a temple in the Bisle Ghats.
The term "gliding" frog refers to its ability to break its fall by stretching the webbing between its toes when making leaps down from the treetops. It can make gliding jumps of 9–12 m, a maximum of about 115 times its length.
Descriptionedit
Close-up of snout
This frog has a body length of about 10 cm (4 in), making it one of the largest moss frogs. Males are smaller than females. Its back skin is finely granulated and the color is vivid green without markings, distinguishing it from the otherwise quite similar R. pseudomalabaricus, which has a black-marbled back and was long included in the present species.[1] In preserved specimens, the back turns purplish blue. The belly is more coarsely granulated – particularly under the thighs – and pale yellow. There are skin fringes between and along the long limbs, and a triangular skin extension at the heel. The webbing between fingers and toes is large and orange-red.[2]
The vomerine teeth are arranged in two straight or slightly oblique series touching the inner front edge of the choanae. The snout is rounded but not very wide, about as long as the diameter of the orbit, the canthus rostralis is bluntly-angled, and the loral region is concave. The nostrils are located nearer to the end of the snout than to the eyes. The interorbital space is broader than the upper eyelid. The tympanum measures about 60–70% of the diameter of the eye.[3]
The disks of fingers and toes are large, about the size of the tympanum; the subarticular tubercles are well-developed, also. The tibio-tarsal articulation reaches at least to the eye, at most top the nostril.[3]
Distributionedit
The Malabar gliding frog is found in the Western Ghats of India and has been described in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra. It has been recorded at altitudes ranging from 43m to 1894m above sea level. It is found in various habitats such as primary forests, secondary forests, plantations, and urban habitats. It can be found on leaves of trees near stream or river banks. During the breeding season, they move to trees hanging above water bodies into which their tadpoles drop. [4]
Reproductionedit
Reproduction in this species typically occurs during the monsoon months of June-September. Males of this species sit by the banks of streams and emit calls to attract females. Females will often approach the focal male, the individual who will mate, and signal him to initiate amplexus. The males whip up the foam in which the females deposit the eggs. Peripheral males have been observed helping build the nests for the female and focal male pairs. After spawning, males will typically leave the female and the clutch and the female will cover the clutch in leaf litter. Nests are typically 78-112mm in length and 68-79mm in width. Number of eggs per clutch varied from 89-206 (N = 5) and individual eggs measured between 2.0-3.2 mm (2.8 ± 0.5 mm, N = 89, single egg clutch). The eggs are unpigmented and off-white in color. The tadpoles drop into the water after hatching.[4]
Malabar gliding frogs in amplexus: Note much smaller male on top.
^ abBiju, S. D.; Kamei, Rachunliu G.; Mahony, Stephen; Thomas, Ashish; Garg, Sonali; Sircar, Gargi; Suyesh, Robin (4 April 2013). "Taxonomic review of the tree frog genus Rhacophorus from the Western Ghats, India (Anura: Rhacophoridae), with description of ontogenetic colour changes and reproductive behaviour". Zootaxa. 3636 (2): 257–289. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3636.2.3. PMID 26042293.
Referencesedit
Biju, S.D.; Dutta, S.; Vasudevan, K.; Srinivasulu, C. & Vijayakumar, S.P. (2004). "Rhacophorus malabaricus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004. IUCN: e.T59001A11864773. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59001A11864773.en. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
Bordoloi, Sabitry; Bortamuli, Tutul; Ohler, Annemarie (3 December 2007). "Systematics of the genus Rhacophorus (Amphibia, Anura): identity of red-webbed forms and description of a new species from Assam". Zootaxa. 1653 (1): 1–20. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1653.1.1.
Boulenger, George Albert (1890). "Rhacophorus malabaricus". The Fauna of British India - Reptilia and Batrachia. London: Taylor and Francis. p. 473. OCLC 182916343.
Kadadevaru, Girish G.; Dundappa Kanamadi, Ravishankar (2000). "Courtship and nesting behaviour of the malabar gliding frog, Rhacophorus Malabaricus". Current Science. 79 (3): 377–380. S2CID 89301397.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhacophorus malabaricus.
malabar, gliding, frog, frog, endemic, anaimalai, hills, false, ormalabar, flying, frog, rhacophorus, malabaricus, rhacophorid, tree, frog, species, found, western, ghats, india, conservation, status, least, concern, iucn, scientific, classification, domain, e. For the frog endemic to the Anaimalai Hills see False Malabar gliding frog The Malabar gliding frog orMalabar flying frog Rhacophorus malabaricus is a rhacophorid tree frog species found in the Western Ghats of India Malabar gliding frog Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Amphibia Order Anura Family Rhacophoridae Genus Rhacophorus Species R malabaricus Binomial name Rhacophorus malabaricusJerdon 1870 Froglet of Malabar gliding frog This is the stage between a tadpole and an adult frog Note the tail Tadpole of Malabar gliding frog Contents 1 Pictures 2 Description 3 Distribution 4 Reproduction 5 See also 6 Footnotes 7 References 8 External linksPictures edit nbsp Calling male nbsp An Adult female Rhacophorus malabaricus resting on the building of a temple in the Bisle Ghats The term gliding frog refers to its ability to break its fall by stretching the webbing between its toes when making leaps down from the treetops It can make gliding jumps of 9 12 m a maximum of about 115 times its length Description edit nbsp Close up of snout This frog has a body length of about 10 cm 4 in making it one of the largest moss frogs Males are smaller than females Its back skin is finely granulated and the color is vivid green without markings distinguishing it from the otherwise quite similar R pseudomalabaricus which has a black marbled back and was long included in the present species 1 In preserved specimens the back turns purplish blue The belly is more coarsely granulated particularly under the thighs and pale yellow There are skin fringes between and along the long limbs and a triangular skin extension at the heel The webbing between fingers and toes is large and orange red 2 The vomerine teeth are arranged in two straight or slightly oblique series touching the inner front edge of the choanae The snout is rounded but not very wide about as long as the diameter of the orbit the canthus rostralis is bluntly angled and the loral region is concave The nostrils are located nearer to the end of the snout than to the eyes The interorbital space is broader than the upper eyelid The tympanum measures about 60 70 of the diameter of the eye 3 The disks of fingers and toes are large about the size of the tympanum the subarticular tubercles are well developed also The tibio tarsal articulation reaches at least to the eye at most top the nostril 3 Distribution editThe Malabar gliding frog is found in the Western Ghats of India and has been described in the states of Tamil Nadu Kerala Karnataka Goa and Maharashtra It has been recorded at altitudes ranging from 43m to 1894m above sea level It is found in various habitats such as primary forests secondary forests plantations and urban habitats It can be found on leaves of trees near stream or river banks During the breeding season they move to trees hanging above water bodies into which their tadpoles drop 4 Reproduction editReproduction in this species typically occurs during the monsoon months of June September Males of this species sit by the banks of streams and emit calls to attract females Females will often approach the focal male the individual who will mate and signal him to initiate amplexus The males whip up the foam in which the females deposit the eggs Peripheral males have been observed helping build the nests for the female and focal male pairs After spawning males will typically leave the female and the clutch and the female will cover the clutch in leaf litter Nests are typically 78 112mm in length and 68 79mm in width Number of eggs per clutch varied from 89 206 N 5 and individual eggs measured between 2 0 3 2 mm 2 8 0 5 mm N 89 single egg clutch The eggs are unpigmented and off white in color The tadpoles drop into the water after hatching 4 nbsp Malabar gliding frogs in amplexus Note much smaller male on top nbsp A foam nest built by a gliding frog See also editFlying frog Javelin frogFootnotes edit E g by Boulenger 1890 Boulenger 1890 Bordoloi et al 2007 a b Boulenger 1890 a b Biju S D Kamei Rachunliu G Mahony Stephen Thomas Ashish Garg Sonali Sircar Gargi Suyesh Robin 4 April 2013 Taxonomic review of the tree frog genus Rhacophorus from the Western Ghats India Anura Rhacophoridae with description of ontogenetic colour changes and reproductive behaviour Zootaxa 3636 2 257 289 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 3636 2 3 PMID 26042293 References editBiju S D Dutta S Vasudevan K Srinivasulu C amp Vijayakumar S P 2004 Rhacophorus malabaricus The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004 IUCN e T59001A11864773 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2004 RLTS T59001A11864773 en Retrieved 9 January 2018 Bordoloi Sabitry Bortamuli Tutul Ohler Annemarie 3 December 2007 Systematics of the genus Rhacophorus Amphibia Anura identity of red webbed forms and description of a new species from Assam Zootaxa 1653 1 1 20 doi 10 11646 zootaxa 1653 1 1 Boulenger George Albert 1890 Rhacophorus malabaricus The Fauna of British India Reptilia and Batrachia London Taylor and Francis p 473 OCLC 182916343 Kadadevaru Girish G Dundappa Kanamadi Ravishankar 2000 Courtship and nesting behaviour of the malabar gliding frog Rhacophorus Malabaricus Current Science 79 3 377 380 S2CID 89301397 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhacophorus malabaricus http coorg mampam com malabaricus html http www new ecopsychology org en amphibia index ar htm Miraculous Legs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Malabar gliding frog amp oldid 1221071222, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
