AMPHIBIANS: THE HIGHEST ENDEMIC GROUP IN WESTERN...
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AMPHIBIANS: THE HIGHEST ENDEMIC GROUP IN WESTERN GHATS M Minsa, Setturu Bharath & T V Ramachandra Energy & Wetlands Research Group, CES TE 15, Indian Institute of Science WESTERN GHATS & AMPHIBIANS The Western Ghats is a mountain range of southwest India, considered as one of the 34 Global biodiversity hotspots and also one of the world's eight Hottest of Biodiversity Hotspots. It exhibits a great variety of vegetation comprising scrub jungles, grassland, dry and moist deciduous forests, and semi-and evergreen forests. This helps in the presence of an abundance of fauna and flora in this region. The Western Ghats montane rain forest is the home for a large number of endemic biota. Amphibians are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata and class Amphibia. They can live in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Class Amphibia has three orders, Anura, Urodela, and Apoda. The diversified topography, geographic locations, humidity and high rainfall supports the survival of numerous amphibian species in Western Ghats. It is estimated that 6400 amphibian species are present in the world. Among that 4.4% is reported from India. STUDY AREA Western Ghats extending from 8° to 22° 26’ N and 72° 55’ to 78° 11’E. It spread over an area of 1,64,280 sq.km Passes through the states of Gujarat,Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala & TamilNadu. Altitude ranges from 0 to 2674 m Annual average rainfall is 2500 mm. Mean temperature ranges between 20 & 24 o C. AMPHIBIAN DISTRIBUTION IN WESTERN GHATS Western Ghats has 248 species of Amphibians across 383 locations. 11 families of amphibians; Bufonidae, Dicroglossidae, Ichthyophiidae, Indotyphlidae, Micrixalidae, Microhylidae, Nasikabatrachidae, Nyctibatrachidae, Ranidae, Ranixalidae, and Rhacophoridae were reported from WG. Rhacophoridae is the largest family consists of 82 species and Nasikabatrachidae is the smallest family with only one species, Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. Ranixalidae is widely distributed family, reported across all states of WG. DISTRIBUTION OF ENDEMIC SPECIES Amphibians shows highest endemism in WG. Among the 248 species, 154 species (62%) are endemic to WG. All 11 families that are present in the WG region are endemic. Majority of endemic species were reported from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka regions WG. Rhacophoridae family has highest endemism in WG, out of 82 species reported from WG 54 species were endemic to this region. And followed by Nyctibatrachidae family, out of 31 species, 27 are endemic to WG. 6% 5% 5% 10% 1% 6% 6% 3% 18% 5% 35% Ranixalidae Indotyphlidae Bufonidae Dicroglossidae Nasikabatrachidae Ichthyophiidae Micrixalidae Microhylidae Nyctibatrachidae Ranidae Rhacophoridae 10 sp 8 sp 15 sp 1 sp 4 sp 27 sp 8 sp 54 sp 7 sp AMPHIBIANS IN WG 248 species & 11 families Endemic 154 species Extinct 4 species Critically Endangered 14 species Endangered 30 species Vulnerable 18 species Near threatened 7 species Least concern 38 species Data deficient 69 species Not evaluated 73 species SMALLEST ENDEMIC FAMILY IN WG Nasikabatrachidae is the smallest endemic amphibian family present in the WG. It has only one species Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. This species is distributed across the regions of Karnataka, Kerala, and TamilNadu. This endangered species is commonly known as Pig-nosed Frog or Sahyadri Pig Nosed Frog. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 8-10 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18 18-20 20-22 No. of Endemic Amphibians Latitudinal Range DISTRIBUTION OF ENDEMIC AMPHIBIANS IN WG References Krishnamurthy, S.V. and Shakuntala, K., 2013. Amphibian fauna of Sringeri taluk (Chickamagalure district: Karnataka). Journal of the Indian Institute of Science, 73(5), p.443. Seshadri, K.S., Gururaja, K.V. and Aravind, N.A., 2012. A new species of Raorchestes (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from mid-elevation evergreen forests of the southern Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa, 3410, pp.19-34. Biju, S.D. and Bossuyt, F., 2003. New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles. Nature, 425(6959), pp.711-714. Van Bocxlaer, I., Biju, S.D., Willaert, B., Giri, V.B., Shouche, Y.S. and Bossuyt, F., 2012. Mountain-associated clade endemism in an ancient frog family (Nyctibatrachidae) on the Indian subcontinent. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 62(3), pp.839-847. Gower, D.J., San Mauro, D., Giri, V., Bhatta, G., Govindappa, V., Kotharambath, R., Oommen, O.V., Fatih, F.A., Mackenzie-Dodds, J.A., Nussbaum, R.A. and Biju, S.D., 2011. Molecular systematics of caeciliid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) of the Western Ghats, India. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 59(3), pp.698-707. Ranjit Daniels,R.J , 1992. Geographical distribution patterns of amphibians in the Western Ghats, India. Joumal of Biogeography (1992) 19, 521-529.
Transcript of AMPHIBIANS: THE HIGHEST ENDEMIC GROUP IN WESTERN...
AMPHIBIANS: THE HIGHEST ENDEMIC
GROUP IN WESTERN GHATS
M Minsa, Setturu Bharath & T V RamachandraEnergy & Wetlands Research Group, CES TE 15, Indian Institute of Science
WESTERN GHATS & AMPHIBIANSThe Western Ghats is a mountain range of southwest India, considered as one of the 34 Global biodiversity hotspots and also one of the world's eightHottest of Biodiversity Hotspots. It exhibits a great variety of vegetation comprising scrub jungles, grassland, dry and moist deciduous forests, andsemi-and evergreen forests. This helps in the presence of an abundance of fauna and flora in this region. The Western Ghats montane rain forest isthe home for a large number of endemic biota.
Amphibians are ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates of the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata and class Amphibia. They canlive in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Class Amphibia has three orders, Anura, Urodela, and Apoda. The diversified topography, geographiclocations, humidity and high rainfall supports the survival of numerous amphibian species in Western Ghats. It is estimated that 6400 amphibianspecies are present in the world. Among that 4.4% is reported from India.
STUDY AREA Western Ghats extending from 8° to 22° 26’ N
and 72° 55’ to 78° 11’E.
It spread over an area of 1,64,280 sq.km
Passes through the states of Gujarat,Maharashtra,
Goa, Karnataka, Kerala & TamilNadu.
Altitude ranges from 0 to 2674 m
Annual average rainfall is 2500 mm.
Mean temperature ranges between 20 & 24o C.
AMPHIBIAN DISTRIBUTION IN WESTERN GHATS
Western Ghats has 248 species of Amphibiansacross 383 locations. 11 families of amphibians;Bufonidae, Dicroglossidae, Ichthyophiidae,Indotyphlidae, Micrixalidae, Microhylidae,Nasikabatrachidae, Nyctibatrachidae, Ranidae,Ranixalidae, and Rhacophoridae were reportedfrom WG. Rhacophoridae is the largest familyconsists of 82 species and Nasikabatrachidae isthe smallest family with only one species,Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. Ranixalidae iswidely distributed family, reported across allstates of WG.
DISTRIBUTION OF ENDEMIC SPECIES Amphibians shows highest endemism in WG.Among the 248 species, 154 species (62%) areendemic to WG. All 11 families that are presentin the WG region are endemic. Majority ofendemic species were reported from TamilNadu, Kerala and Karnataka regions WG.
Rhacophoridae family has highest endemism inWG, out of 82 species reported from WG 54species were endemic to this region. Andfollowed by Nyctibatrachidae family, out of 31species, 27 are endemic to WG.
6%5%
5%
10%
1%
6%
6%
3%18%
5%
35%
Ranixalidae
Indotyphlidae
Bufonidae
Dicroglossidae
Nasikabatrachidae
Ichthyophiidae
Micrixalidae
Microhylidae
Nyctibatrachidae
Ranidae
Rhacophoridae
10 sp
8 sp
15 sp
1 sp
4 sp
27 sp
8 sp
54 sp
7 sp
AMPHIBIANS IN WG 248 species & 11 families
Endemic 154 species
Extinct 4 species
Critically Endangered 14 species
Endangered 30 species
Vulnerable 18 species
Near threatened 7 species
Least concern 38 species
Data deficient 69 species
Not evaluated 73 species
SMALLEST ENDEMIC FAMILY IN WGNasikabatrachidae is the smallest endemic
amphibian family present in the WG. It has only
one species Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis. This
species is distributed across
the regions of
Karnataka, Kerala,
and TamilNadu.
This endangered
species is commonly
known as Pig-nosed
Frog or Sahyadri Pig
Nosed Frog.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
8-10 10-12 12-14 14-16 16-18 18-20 20-22
No
. of
End
em
ic A
mp
hib
ian
s
Latitudinal Range
DISTRIBUTION OF ENDEMIC AMPHIBIANS IN WG
References
Krishnamurthy, S.V. and Shakuntala, K., 2013. Amphibian fauna of Sringeri taluk (Chickamagalure district: Karnataka). Journal of the Indian Institute of Science, 73(5),
p.443.
Seshadri, K.S., Gururaja, K.V. and Aravind, N.A., 2012. A new species of Raorchestes (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from mid-elevation evergreen forests of the
southern Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa, 3410, pp.19-34.
Biju, S.D. and Bossuyt, F., 2003. New frog family from India reveals an ancient biogeographical link with the Seychelles. Nature, 425(6959), pp.711-714.
Van Bocxlaer, I., Biju, S.D., Willaert, B., Giri, V.B., Shouche, Y.S. and Bossuyt, F., 2012. Mountain-associated clade endemism in an ancient frog family (Nyctibatrachidae)
on the Indian subcontinent. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 62(3), pp.839-847.
Gower, D.J., San Mauro, D., Giri, V., Bhatta, G., Govindappa, V., Kotharambath, R., Oommen, O.V., Fatih, F.A., Mackenzie-Dodds, J.A., Nussbaum, R.A. and Biju, S.D.,
2011. Molecular systematics of caeciliid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) of the Western Ghats, India. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 59(3), pp.698-707.
Ranjit Daniels,R.J , 1992. Geographical distribution patterns of amphibians in the Western Ghats, India. Joumal of Biogeography (1992) 19, 521-529.
