Scientists have discovered 3 new frog species belonging to new genera named Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing
Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing: In Arunachal Pradesh’s Namdapha-Kamlang protected area network along the Myanmar border, scientists discovered 3 new frog species belonging to new genera, including Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing. According to the lead researcher Abhijit Das of the Wildlife Institute of India, “Our initial observations show a dominant influence of southeast Asian faunal elements in the lower elevations and largely Himalayan ones in the upper reaches. However, more surveys are needed to ascertain these faunal boundaries,” he said. Namdapha region, located on the border, faces many anthropogenic pressures that pose conservation challenges,.The discoveries bring India’s amphibian species count to around 470.
Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing
Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing
The following new frog species have been discovered-
- Gracixalus patkaiensis is a green tree frog with a translucent appearance and an insect-like call.
- Alcalus fontinalis is a tiny brown frog that lives in fast-flowing hill streams and has a distinct trickling vocal.
- Nidirana noadihing is a marsh-dwelling “music frog” named after the Noa-Dihing river.
Habitat
The frogs found the local hill ranges, and bodies of water in the Amdapha-Kamlang protected area network along the Myanmar border.
Biodiversity Hotspot
Namdapha National Park and the Kamlang Tiger Reserve are located between India and Myanmar. Namdapha Tiger Reserve is the northernmost tropical rainforest experiment and biodiversity between the Eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia. This region has low tropical forests up to 5000-meter-high Himalaya-like mountains.
What is the new species found in the Namdapha-Kamlang protected area network along the Myanmar border?
The new species found in the Namdapha-Kamlang protected area network along the Myanmar border Gracixalus patkaiensis, Alcalus fontinalis and Nidirana noadihing
