Raorchestes theuerkaufi is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in the tea estates of Kadalar near Munnar, Idukki district, in the Western Ghats of Kerala in India.[2] The species is named after Wolfgang Theuerkauf, a botanist and director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Wayanad, Kerala.[3][4][5][1]
| Raorchestes theuerkaufi | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Rhacophoridae |
| Genus: | Raorchestes |
| Species: | R. theuerkaufi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Raorchestes theuerkaufi Zachariah, Dinesh, Kunhikrishnan, Das, Raju, Radhakrishnan, Palot, and Kalesh, 2011
| |
Habitat
editThis frog has been observed perched on rocks and leaf litter in secondary forests near tea and cardamom farms. People also saw this frog sitting on plants next roads. Sightings occurred between 1393 and 2000 meters above sea level.[1]
The frog's range includes at least one protected park: Anamalai Tiger Reserve.[1]
Life cycle
editLike other frogs in Raorchestes, this frog breeds through direct development with no free-swimming tadpole stage.[1]
Threats
editScientists cite pesticides and climate change as threats to this frog.[1]
Scientists believe the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis can infect this frog. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis causes the fungal disease chytridiomycosis.[1]
Original description
edit- Zachariah A; Dinesh KP; Kunhikrishnan E; Das S; Raju DV; Radhakrishnan C; Palot MJ; Kalesh S (2011). "Nine new species of frogs of the genus Raorchestes (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae) from southern Western Ghats, India". Biosystematica (Excerpt). 5 (1): 25–48. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2022). "Raorchestes theuerkaufi". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 3.1: e.T56041164A56041170. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T56041164A56041170.en. 56041164. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Raorchestes theuerkaufi Zachariah, Dinesh, Kunhikrishnan, Das, Raju, Radhakrishnan, Palot, and Kalesh, 2011". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ Manoj, E. M. (7 August 2011). "New species of frogs found in Western Ghats". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ Jain, Akshai (15 June 2013). "God's Own Gardeners". Tehelka. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ "Raorchestes theuerkaufi Zachariah, Dinesh, Kunhikrishnan, Das, Raju, Radhakrishnan, Palot, and Kalesh, 2011". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
External links
edit- Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary
Data related to Raorchestes theuerkaufi at Wikispecies
