Ramanella montana

Taxobox
name = "Jerdon's Narrow mouthed Frog"
status = NT
status_system = IUCN3.1

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image_caption = "Jerdon's Narrow mouthed Frog"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
subphylum = Vertebrata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Anura
familia = Microhylidae
genus = Ramanella
species ="R. montana"
binomial = "Ramanella montana"

Jerdon's Narrow mouthed Frog ("Ramanella montana") is a species of Microhylid frog found in Southern India.

Description

The frogs of the genus "Ramanella" are small and characteristically have discs on their fingers but lack them on the toes. The typical habitat in which this frog is found are tree holes in the rainy season in moist deciduous forest to Evergreen forest. They have smooth but bumpy skin. The upper side is brown with dark spots. The snout to vent length is 34-36mm. Males have a single subgular vocal sac that is expanded to a sphere when they call. They call after heavy rains during June or July. They begin calling after sunset and continue all night while the males float on water in small ponds. Females approach calling males and they display axillary amplexus during mating. [G. G. Kadadevaru, R. D. Kanamadi and Hans Schneider (1998) Mating call of the burrowing frog, "Ramanella montana" (Jerdon, 1859). J. Adv. Zool. 1998: 19(2) : 91-93 [http://www.nfsci.org/data/gk2.pdf PDF] ] They aestivate in summer. [McCann, C. 1946. Aestivation of the frog "Ramanella montana" (Jerdon). J. Bombay. Nat. Hist. Soc., 404-406.]

Distribution

The distribution of this frog is not fully known but is found in most of the Western Ghats. This species is found in Moist deciduous forest, Semi-evergreen forest and Evergreen forest. Rain-water filled tree holes are the favoured microhabitat of these frogs.

The egg masses of most Indian microhylids float on the water but those of "R. montana" are attached to the tree trunk just above water level or placed on the surface of a floating leaf. [Savitha N. Krishna, Sharath B. Krishna and K. K. Vijayalaxmi (2004) Breeding ecology of a rare microhylid, Ramanella montana, in the forests of Western Ghats, India. Current Science 87(1):80-82 [http://www.iisc.ernet.in/~currsci/jul102004/80.pdf PDF] ]

References