The Western Ghats of India harbors a rich diversity of amphibians with more than 77% species endemic to this region. At least 42% of the endemic species are threatened due to several anthropogenic stressors. However, information on amphibian diseases and their impacts on amphibian populations in this region are scarce. We report the occurrence of Batrachochytridium dendrobatidis (Bd), an epidermal aquatic fungal pathogen that causes chytridiomycosis in amphibians, from the Western Ghats. In the current study we detected the occurrence of a native Asian Bd strain from three endemic and threatened species of anurans, Bombay Night Frog Nyctibatrachus humayuni, Leith's Leaping Frog Indirana leithii and Bombay Bubble Nest Frog Raorchestes bombayensis, for the first time from the northern Western Ghats of India based on diagnostic nested PCR, quantitative PCR, DNA sequencing and histopathology. While, the Bd infected I. leithii and R. bombayensis did not show any external symptoms, N. humayuni showed lesions on the skin, browning of skin and sloughing. Sequencing of Bd 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and the ITS1 and ITS2 regions, revealed that the current Bd strain is related to a haplotype endemic to Asia. Our findings confirm the presence of Bd in northern Western Ghats and the affected amphibians may or may not show detectable clinical symptoms. We suggest that the significance of diseases as potential threat to amphibian populations of the Western Ghats needs to be highlighted from the conservation point of view.
Leaping frogs of the family Ranixalidae are endemic to the Western Ghats of India and are currently placed in a single genus, Indirana. Based on specimens collected from their entire range and a comprehensive study of type material defining all known species, we propose a revised taxonomy for the leaping frogs using an integrative approach including an analysis of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear rhodopsin genes, as well as multivariate morphometrics. Both genetic and morphological analyses suggest that the genus Indirana is paraphyletic and a distinct monophyletic group, Walkerana gen. nov is described herein. The new genus is separated from Indirana sensu stricto by an apomorphic character state of reduced webbing, with one phalange free on the first and second toe (vs. no free phalanges), two phalanges free on the third and fifth toe (vs. one free phalange), and three phalanges free on the fourth toe (vs. 2–2½ phalanges free). This review includes (i) identification of lectotypes and redescription of three species of the genus Walkerana; (ii) identification of lectotypes for Indirana beddomii and I. semipalmata and their redescription; (iii) redescription of I. brachytarsus and I. gundia; and (iv) descriptions of four new species, namely, I. duboisi and I. tysoni from north of the Palghat gap, and I. yadera and I. sarojamma from south of the Palghat gap; and (iv) a key to the genera and species in the family Ranixalidae.
Our study takes the first step of documenting butterfly diversity and distribution along the seasonal gradient and across five landscape elements. We censused butterfly community in Tamhini, northern Western Ghats, across six seasons and five landscape elements using line transect method for two years. A total of 69 butterfly species belonging to 52 genera and five families were encountered in the study area. The data was analysed for α and β diversity. There were two peaks in the α diversity in summer and early winter. Monsoon fauna was distinctly different from that of other seasons. Maximum diversity was observed in the partially disturbed areas with human habitation. Landscape type satisfying variable niche showed maximum α diversity. Our findings in the seasonal and landscape wise distribution of butterflies are important with respect to monitoring animal diversity and defining conservation strategies in the northern Western Ghats.
o ff b u r r ow fi n g ff r o g ( A n u r a : D fi c r o g l o s s fi d a e ) ff r om w e s t e r n I n d fi a A n a n d P a d h y e , N e e l e s h D a h a n u k a r , S h a u r fi S u l a k h e , N fi k h fi l D a n d e k a r , S u n fi l L fim a y e & K fi r fi J am d a d e 2 6 J u n e 2 0 1 7 | V o l . 9 | N o . 6 | P p . 1 0 2 8 6 -1 0 2 9 6 1 0 . 1 1 6 0 9 / j o t . 2 8 7 7 . 9 . 6 . 1 0 2 8 6 -1 0 2 9 6 T h r e a t e n e d T a x a T h e J o u r n a l o ff T h r e a t e n e d T a x a fi s d e d fi c a t e d t o b u fi l d fi n g e v fi d e n c e ff o r c o n s e r v a fi o n g l o b a l l y b y p u b l fi s h fi n g p e e r -r e v fi ew e d a r fi c l e s o n l fi n e e v e r y m o n t h a t a r e a s o n a b l y r a p fi d r a t e a t www . t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g. A l l a r fi c l e s p u b l fi s h e d fi n J o T T a r e r e g fi s t e r e d u n d e r C r e a fi v e C omm o n s A t r fi b u fi o n 4 . 0 I n t e r n a fi o n a l L fi c e n s e u n l e s s o t h e rw fi s e m e n fi o n e d . J o T T a l l ow s u n r e s t r fi c t e d u s e o ff a r fi c l e s fi n a n y m e d fi um , r e p r o d u c fi o n , a n d d fi s t r fi b u fi o n b y p r o v fi d fi n g a d e q u a t e c r e d fi t t o t h e a u t h o r s a n d t h e s o u r c e o ff p u b l fi c a fi o n .O P E N A C C E S S P a r t n e r www . t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 9 0 7 ( O n l fi n e ) | I S S N 0 9 7 4 -7 8 9 3 ( P r fi n t ) B u fi l d fi n g e v fi d e n c e ff o r c o n s e r v a fi o n g l o b a l l y J o u r n a l o ff T h r e a t e n e d T a x a P u b l fi s h e r / H o s t F o r F o c u s , S c o p e , A fim s , P o l fi c fi e s a n d G u fi d e l fi n e s v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / A b o u t _ J o T T F o r A r fi c l e S u bm fi s s fi o n G u fi d e l fi n e s v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / S u bm fi s s fi o n _ G u fi d e l fi n e s F o r P o l fi c fi e s a g a fi n s t S c fi e n fi fi c M fi s c o n d u c t v fi s fi t h t p : / / t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g / J o T T _ P o l fi c y _ a g a fi n s t _ S c fi e n fi fi c _M fi s c o n d u c t F o r r e p r fi n t s c o n t a c t < fi n ff o@ t h r e a t e n e d t a x a . o r g > Conflict of interest:The authors declare no competing interests. Funding sources had no role in study design, data collection, results interpretation and manuscript writing.Author Contribution: AP, SS, NiD, SL and KJ collected specimens; AP and NeD diagnosed the species; AP, SS, NiD and NeD generated morphometric and genetic data; NeD performed genetic and morphometric analysis; AP and NeD wrote the manuscript with inputs from SL, SS, NiD and KJ. Abstract: Sphaerotheca pashchima, a new species of burrowing frog, is described from western India. It can be diagnosed from all its congeners based on a combination of characters including interorbital width less than upper eyelid width, snout to nostril distance less than half of eye diameter, nostril nearer to snout than to eye, internar...
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