Fungoid frog

Fungoid frog
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Anura
Family:	Ranidae
Genus:	Hylarana
Species:	H. malabarica
Binomial name
Hylarana malabarica (Tschudi, 1838)
Synonyms
Rana malabarica Tschudi, 1838[2]

The Fungoid Frog at Ezhimala, North Malabar, Kerala

The fungoid frog or Malabar Hills frog (Hylarana malabarica) is a colourful frog found on the forest floor and lower vegetation in the Western Ghats in south-western India, possibly wider.^[1][2] Although restricted in range, they are of least conservation concern.^[1] Their upper parts vary in colour from brownish-red to bright crimson. The Fungoid frog is also found in coastal strip of Maharashtra in districts like Raigad and rural region of Thane.

Description

Vomerine teeth in two oval oblique groups between the choanae. Head moderate, depressed; snout moderate, hardly as long as the diameter of the orbit, subacuminate, moderately prominent; loreal region concave; nostril nearer to the end of the snout than to the eye; interorbital space rather narrower than the upper eyelid; tympanum very distinct, nearly as large as the eye. fingers moderate, first extending beyond second; toes rather short, half webbed : tips of fingers and toes swollen; subarticular tubercles very strong; inner metatarsal tubercle oval, blunt; a large rounded tubercle at the base of the fourth toe; no tarsal fold. The tibio-tarsal articulation reaches the tympanum or the eye. Skin finely granulate above; a broad, not very prominent glandular lateral fold; a strong glandular fold from below the eye to the shoulder, followed by one or two glandules. Head and body bright crimson above, blackish brown on the sides; back sometimes with a few small black spots; upper lip, and a series of spots on the flank, white ; limbs blackish brown above, spotted and marbled with pale brown and while; beneath uniform white, or marbled brown and white.^[3]

References

1. S.D. Biju, Sushil Dutta, Robert Inger (2004). "Hylarana malabarica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 July 2013. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is of least concern
2. Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Hylarana malabarica (Tschudi, 1838)". Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
3. Boulenger, G. A. (1890) The Fauna of British India: Reptilia and Batrachia