A recent study published in the journal Zootaxa reports the rediscovery of the brown-eared shrub frog (Pseudophilautus regius) – approximately 700 kilometers away from its previously known distribution range.
The brown-eared shrub frog, originally native to the forests of Sri Lanka, was found by researchers in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh two decades after its initial description in 2005. This discovery sheds new light not only on the poorly studied amphibian biodiversity in the Eastern Ghats of India but also on the evolutionary significance of a land bridge connection between India and Sri Lanka during the Pleistocene.
Unique life cycle and ecological significance
Pseudophilautus frogs, including the brown-eared shrub frog, belong to the family Rhacophoridae. These frogs are direct developers, meaning they skip the tadpole stage and hatch as small frogs directly from the eggs. This unique life cycle underscores the ecological and evolutionary significance of these amphibians.
Currently, 28 amphibian species are known in the Eastern Ghats, significantly fewer than the 253 species in the Western Ghats and the 455 species in all of India. This discrepancy highlights the need for further exploration and documentation of amphibian diversity along India’s east coast. The recent discovery marks the first report of a Rhacophoridae frog from the Eastern Ghats in 220 years of amphibian research in India.
Interestingly, both Sri Lanka and the Eastern Ghats are influenced by the Northeast Monsoon, in contrast to the Western Ghats, which are primarily affected by the Southwest Monsoon. This climatic similarity could explain the presence of some Sri Lankan amphibian species in the Eastern Ghats.
While Sri Lanka hosts 75 Pseudophilautus species, there are only three in the Western Ghats, all of which are endemic. Many amphibian species in Sri Lanka are highly endangered. Some have disappeared or gone extinct, especially between 1850 and 1950, such as Pseudophilautus temporalis, Pseudophilautus maia, and Pseudophilautus adspersus. Perhaps some of these species, extinct in Sri Lanka, will be rediscovered in India in the future.
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