Ingerana charlesdarwini

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This article is about an Asian frog species. For the South American frog family, genus, and species known as Darwin's frog(s), see Rhinodermatidae.

Charles Darwin's frog

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Dicroglossidae
Genus: Ingerana
Species:
I. charlesdarwini
Binomial name
Ingerana charlesdarwini
( [fr], 1998)
Synonyms[2]

Rana charlesdarwini Das, 1998

Ingerana charlesdarwini (vernacular name: Charles Darwin's frog) is a species of frogs in the family Dicroglossidae. It is endemic to the Andaman Islands, India, and is known from the South Andaman Island, Long Island, and North Andaman Island.[2][3]

Taxonomy[]

Ingerana charlesdarwini was described in 1998 as Rana charlesdarwini by  [fr], but was moved to the genus Ingerana in 2006. It remains uncertain whether it truly belongs to Ingerana.[2][3] Later on, specimens labelled as Rana doriae andamanensis collected by Nelson Annandale were found from the Zoological Survey of India. However, Annandale never formally described a taxon using that name, so it is an unavailable name.[3]

Description[]

Adult males measure 25–29 mm (1.0–1.1 in) and adult females 29–38 mm (1.1–1.5 in) in snout–vent length. The snout is rounded and has a blunt tip. The tympanum is distinct and exposed; the supra-tympanic fold is well-developed and forms a thick, fleshy ridge. The fingers have no webbing whereas the toes are partially webbed. The finger and toe tips bear swollen discs, without circum-marginal grooves. Skin has minute granules scattered all over the dorsum; the venter is smooth. Colouration is variable with three different morphs:

  • The first morph is dull olive brown but has a bright orange butterfly-like marking on the dorsum behind the occiput, and a smaller spot of the same colour above the sacral region. Only very feeble black subocular spots are present, and the limbs lack barred pattern.
  • The second type is light tan and has very distinct black bars on the limbs. The dorsum has only a feeble W-like marking on the mid-dorsum and two indistinct orange spots. A mid-dorsal stripe might be present. Under moist conditions, the colour turns dark brown. Males have a dark gular vocal sac.
  • The third morph, which is similar to the holotype, is bright creamy white but with a dark brown patch on the dorsum as well as very thin, creamy white mid-dorsal stripe and two distinct, white subocular spots. Again, males have a dark gular vocal sac.[3]

Habitat and conservation[]

Ingerana charlesdarwini have been found in primary evergreen and secondary forests at elevations below 500 m (1,600 ft). The eggs are laid in water-filled tree holes.[1][3] It is threatened by habitat loss (clear-cutting). The type series was collected in the Mount Harriet National Park, and the species is also known from the Saddle Peak National Park.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Indraneil Das, Sushil Dutta, S.P. Vijayakumar (2004). "Ingerana charlesdarwini". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T58571A11805014. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T58571A11805014.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Ingerana charlesdarwini (Das, 1998)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e Chandramouli, S. R. (2017). "Rediscovery and redescription of a little known, insular endemic frog, Ingerana charlesdarwini (Das, 1998) (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from the Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal". Alytes. 33 (1–4): 47–54.
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