Amphibians of Sahyadri

Gururaja KVCentre for Ecological Sciences

IISc, Bangalore 12gururaj@ces.iisc.ernet.ingururajakv@gmail.com

Flow of talk

• Key Research areas in the Western Ghats• Overview of Amphibian diversity• What do we do?

– Impact of land-use change– Impact of land-use change– Natural history, call pattern analysis, niche

partitioning and Ecology– Spatial distribution modeling

• What we can do?– Plenty to explore…

Discoveries and more…

From Sahyadri…in last nine years

• 50 species new to science• Rhacophoridae 26• Gymnophiona 12

Genus # species

Fejervarya 4

Gegeneophis 7

Ghatixalus 1

Ichthyophis 2

Microhyla 1Microhyla 1

Minervarya 1

Nasikabatrachus 1

Nyctibatrachus 5

Philautus 23

Polypedates 1

Rhacophorus 1

Uraeotyphlus 30

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

0

5

10

15

20

25

1799 1824 1849 1874 1899 1924 1949 1974 1999

Cum

ulat

ive

num

ber

of s

peci

es

# Sp

ecie

s

Western Ghats

Amphibian diversity in Sahyadri

• 155 species (287 from India)

• 141 described from SahyadriSahyadri

• 135 are endemic

Other issues…

• Viviparity in caecilians

Geneophis seshachari

Gower et al., 2008. J Evol Biol. 21(5):1220-6

Other issues…

• Frog skipping tadpole stage

Gururaja and Ramachandra, 2006. Curr. Sci. 90(3):450-454

Other issues…

Biju and Bossyut, 2003. Nature. 425: 711–714

India’s smallest frog

Biju et al., 2007. Current Science 93(6): 854-858.

Skin extracts and pesticidal impacts…

1. Giri et al., 2006. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2006.06.0112. Sai et al., 2001. doi:10.1074/jbc.M006615200 3. Gurushankara et al., 2007. doi:10.1007/s00244-006-0015-5

Conservation and Management

Das, A., Krishnaswamy, J., Bawa, K. S., Kiran, M. C., Srinivas, V., Kumar, N. S., et al. 2006. Prioritization of conservation areas in the Western Ghats, India. Biological Conservation, 133, 16−31.

Gururaja KV, Sameer Ali and Ramachandra TV. 2008. Influence of land-use changes in river basins on diversity and distribution of amphibians. In: Environment Education for Ecosystem Conservation

Sharavathi River basin

• Sharavathi River in central Western Ghats, Karnataka• west-flowing river, about 132 km an average altitude of

500 m) • Linganamakki reservoir is about 326 sq. km• In 1932, a small dam was built at Hirebhaskara• In 1932, a small dam was built at Hirebhaskara• In 1964, a major dam at Linganamakki, which

submerged the Hirebhaskara dam and the lands belonging to 32 villages.

• Later, in the 1990s, another dam was built at Gerusoppa, affecting 705 ha of primary forests.

Study areaStudy area

Methods• Systematic stratified random sampling • night survey with torch lights (17:30-20:30 hr), from 2003 – 2006,

seasonal, search for all (including calls, tadpoles), in all micro habitats • Identify and record species, numbers etc.• Opportunistic observations also included for overall diversity in the

region•• Shannon’s index (Shannon’s index (H’ = H’ = -- Σ pΣ pii lnln ppii)), , •• Shannon’s index (Shannon’s index (H’ = H’ = -- Σ pΣ pii lnln ppii)), , •• Simpson’s index (Simpson’s index (D = 1/ Σ pD = 1/ Σ pii

22))

Classified image of LandClassified image of Land--use Analysis inuse Analysis inSharavathiSharavathi river basinriver basin

SubSub--basin wise fragmentation analysis in basin wise fragmentation analysis in SharavathiSharavathi river basinriver basin

Sub-basins Interior Perforated Edge Transitional Patch UndeterminedNandiholé 9.58 19.37 7.15 10.85 52.95 0.11Haridravathi 5.02 13.15 5.36 10.76 65.6 0.1Haridravathi 5.02 13.15 5.36 10.76 65.6 0.1Mavinaholé 9.96 21.26 7.83 13.38 47.42 0.15Sharavathi 8.09 18.96 6.27 15.06 51.54 0.08Hilkunji 21.02 32.98 8.52 12.37 24.86 0.24Hurliholé 16.47 30.05 9.74 14.43 29.14 0.17Nagodiholé 24.91 28.98 10.38 14.83 20.62 0.29Yenneholé 14.69 25.2 10.12 16.84 32.92 0.22

Fragmentation analysis

Nandi Haridravathi

Mavinhole Sharavathi

Background colour

Result ….Result ….•• 42 species, 7 families 42 species, 7 families •• 27 endemic to Western Ghats (64%) 27 endemic to Western Ghats (64%) •• 12 vulnerable12 vulnerable•• 17 near threatened 17 near threatened •• NandiholNandiholéé least richness, abundance least richness, abundance •• YenneholYenneholéé highest highest

Sub-ba sin Rich ness A bu n d. En dem ic En .A bu Non -en d. Non .A bu Sim pson Sh a nn on

Na n di 1 0 3 6 4 1 2 6 2 4 5 .4 5 6 1 .9 6 3

Ha r idr a v a th i 1 4 4 9 6 2 8 8 2 1 8 .7 4 7 2 .3 5 6

Mav in h ole 1 4 4 8 8 2 8 6 2 0 7 .6 2 9 2 .2 9 8

Sh a r a v a th i 1 4 3 3 9 2 7 5 6 7 .3 1 6 2 .2 9 8

Hilku n ji 2 0 4 8 1 1 3 1 9 1 7 1 0.1 2 8 2 .6 5 3

Na g odi 1 8 5 9 1 1 4 5 7 1 4 7 .5 4 8 2 .4 3 6

Hu r li 1 5 3 8 9 2 6 6 1 2 1 1 .1 00 2 .5 4 4

Yen n e 2 2 6 6 1 3 3 5 9 3 1 1 3 .2 9 9 2 .8 07

Variable loadings PC 1 PC2

Tree endemism (%) 0.233 0.194

Tree evergreenness (%) 0.282 0.231

Stream flow (%) 0.257 -0.087

Canopy (%) 0.086 0.101

Rainfall (mm) 0.191 -0.049

Evergreen-Semi-evergreen (%) 0.509 -0.015

Moist-deciduous (%) -0.101 -0.038

Component loadings…

Moist-deciduous (%) -0.101 -0.038

Agriculture (%) -0.373 0.657

Open land (%) -0.133 0.124

Interior forest (%) 0.178 -0.304

Perforated forest (%) 0.101 -0.122

Patch forest (%) -0.143 0.218

Shape index 0.214 0.2

Contiguous forest (m2) -0.157 -0.169

Shannon’s index 0.254 0.232

Total edge (m) 0.364 0.404

Principal Component Analysis...

0.3

1.0

1.6

Tree endemism

Evergreenness

Agriculture field

Open field

Patch forest

Landscape shape index

Shannon’s patch index

Total edge forest

4

5

0.3

1.0

1.6

Tree endemism

Evergreenness

Agriculture field

Open field

Patch forest

Landscape shape index

Shannon’s patch index

Total edge forest

4

5

Axi

s 2

Axis 1

-0.3

-1.0

-1.6

-0.3-1.0-1.6 0.3 1.0 1.6

Stream flowRain fall Evergreen-Semi-evergreen

Interior forest

Contiguous forest

Vector scaling: 2.50

6

71

2

3

5

8Axi

s 2

Axis 1

-0.3

-1.0

-1.6

-0.3-1.0-1.6 0.3 1.0 1.6

Stream flowRain fall Evergreen-Semi-evergreen

Interior forest

Contiguous forest

Vector scaling: 2.50

6

71

2

3

5

8

1. Nandihole, 2. Haridravathi, 3. Mavinhole, 4. Sharavathi, 5. Hilkunji, 6. Hurli, 7. Nagodi and 8. Yennehole.

Finally…

Conservation Priority Regions inUttara Kannada District

Sampling localities

Gowliwada

Castle rock

KaneriGunjavathi

Anashi

Kathagala

DabguliHasehalla Chitageri

Sapurthi

Ulluru BaillalliChandavara

MagodKathalekan

Hosagadde

Results

• 32 species, 8 families• 17 endemics, • 4 terrestrial, 16 aquatic, 3 semiaquatic and 9

arborealarboreal

Triplot

Conservation priority must be givento

Gowliwada

Castle rock

KaneriGunjavathi

Anashi

Kathagala

DabguliHasehalla Chitageri

Sapurthi

Ulluru BaillalliChandavara

MagodKathalekan

Hosagadde

Niche partitioning• Four species of Philautus• P. cf. ponmudi, P.cf.neelanethrus, P.cf.amboli and

P.tuberohumerus• Snout vent lenght, Weight, perching height during

advertisement call, call frequencySpecies SV L (m m ) Weigh t (g) Pf (kHz) Heigh t (m )Species SV L (m m ) Weigh t (g) Pf (kHz) Heigh t (m )

P. cf. ponmudi 3 3 .2 2 ±0.7 2 4 2 .7 8 ±0.3 1 1 2 .00±0.02 4 7 .9 0 ±0.8 2 1

(3 2 - 3 4 .1 ) (2 .2 2 - 3 .2 1 ) (1 .9 6 - 2 .05 ) (7 – 9 )

N 9 9 1 6 9

P.tuberohumerus 2 0.06 ±1 .8 6 7 0.6 1 ±0.1 4 4 3 .4 6 ±0.1 5 3 1 .05 ± 0.5 7 6

(1 6 - 2 2 .6 ) (0.2 6 - 0 .8 4 ) (3 .1 1 - 3 .6 8 ) (0.3 - 2 .5 )

N 1 2 1 2 3 7 1 2

P.cf. neelanethrus 2 8 .8 1 ±1 .4 5 2 1 .3 7 ±0.2 6 6 2 .3 9 ±0.03 1 2 .7 8 - 1 .1 7 2

(2 6 .5 - 3 1 .4 ) (1 .09 - 2 .06 ) (2 .3 5 - 2 .4 8 ) (0.5 –5 )

N 1 7 1 7 1 6 1 7

P. cf.am boli 2 7 .3 6 ±1 .8 2 6 1 .5 2 ±0.2 5 6 2 .5 6 ±0.05 4 1 .5 7 ±0.4 9 6

(2 2 .2 - 3 1 .9 ) (0.9 3 - 2 .2 ) (2 .4 4 - 2 .6 3 ) (0.7 5 - 2 .3 )

N 8 6 8 6 2 3 2 1

Peak

Fre

quen

cy (k

Hz)

Peak

Fre

quen

cy (k

Hz)

Snout vent length (mm) Snout vent length (mm)

Peak

Fre

quen

cy (k

Hz)

Peak

Fre

quen

cy (k

Hz)

Breeding behavior

• Foot flagging in Micrixalus saxicola

Breeding behavior

• Satellite males in Nyctibatrachus petraeus

Call patterns and natural history

• Pedostibes tuberculosus

Species distribution modeling

• Paa minica GARP

Raster Format: Range: 0-254, Nodata: 255

Area Under Curve (AUC) : 0.88Area Under Curve (AUC) : 0.88

Accuracy : 67.57%

Omission error : 61.11%

Commission error : 5.26%

Cells predicted present : 0.64%

Total number of cells : 7683100

Sampling points

Paa minica at Moolbari

Common Indian toad, Duttaphrynus melanostictusup to 16cm, noctornal, terrestrial, human habitation, water bodies

Ferguson’s toad, “Bufo” scaberup to 5cm, noctornal, terrestrial, human habitation, water bodies

Some common anurans…

Malabar tree toad, Pedostibes tuberculosus, Endemicup to 6cm, noctornal, arboreal, forest streams

Indian burrowing frog, Sphearotheca brevicepsup to 6cm, noctornal, fussorial, human habitation, water bodies

Ornate narrow mouthed frog, Microhyla ornataup to 3cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, human habitation, water bodies

Red narrow mouthed frog, Microhyla rubraup to 3cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, human habitation, water bodies

Karnataka night frog, Nyctibatrachus karnatakaensis Endemicup to 9cm, noctornal, aquatic, forest streams

Castlerock night frog, Nyctibatrachus petraeus Endemicup to 5cm, noctornal, aquatic and arboreal, forest streams

Aloysius skittering frog, Euphlyctis aloysiiup to 5cm, noctornal, aquatic, human habitation, water bodies

Common skittering frog, Euphlyctis cyanophlyctisup to 6cm, noctornal, aquatic, human habitation, water bodies

Golden frog, Hylarana aurantiaca Endemicup to 5cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, streams, paddy fields, ponds

Bronzed frog, Hylarana temporalis Endemicup to 6cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, river, streams

Wrinkled cricket frog, Fejervarya caperataup to 4cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, paddy fields, pools

Kudremukh cricket frog, Fejervarya kudremukhensisup to 5cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, ponds, pools, water bodies

Reddish cricket frog, Fejervarya rufescens Endemicup to 5cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, laterite rocks, ponds, pools

Indian bull frog, Hoplobatrachus tigerinusup to 25cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, ponds, streams, paddy fields

Small torrent frog, Micrixalus saxicola Endemicup to 4cm, diurnal, semi-aquatic, stream/river falls

Amboli bush frog, Philautus amboli Endemicup to 3.5cm, noctornal, arboreal, shrubs, bushes, tree bark

Common tree frog, Polypedates maculatusup to 6cm, noctornal, arboreal, tree trunks, bushes, walls

Malabar gliding frog, Rhacophorus malabaricus Endemicup to 7cm, noctornal, tree trunks, shrubs, bushes

Bicolored frog, Clinotarsus curtipesup to 6cm, nocturnal, semi-aquatic, reservoirs, streams, river

Fungoid frog, Hylarana malabarica Endemicup to 7cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, ponds, pools, water bodies

Sahyadri minervarya frog, Minervarya sahyadris Endemicup to 3cm, noctornal, semi-aquatic, paddy fields, ponds, pools

Small leaping frog, Indirana semipalmata Endemicup to 4cm, diurnal, semi-aquatic, stream beds, leaf litter, crevices

What we can do?

• Know your neighbours …who are there in the campus!

• Report on calls, breeding and other issues• Research on Anti Microbial Peptides• Research on Anti Microbial Peptides• Think…Think…Set objectives…Refine and be

independent researchers

AcknowledgementsThis work was not possible otherwise, if the people mentioned below had not accompanied me in field and made me feel secure, while they took the pain of travelling during night hours, amidst dense forest, heavy rains, tough terrain, creeping creatures and frightening animals. Special thanks to you all - SameerAli, Vishnu D Mukri, Karthick B, Sreekantha, Srikanth Naik, Lakshminarayana, Nayak CR, Dinesh KP, Amit Yadav, Seshadri KS, Dhanpal G Naidu, Alkananda, Supriya, Uttam Kumar, Hemant Ogle, Palot MJ, Divakar K Mesta, Rao GR, SudhiraSupriya, Uttam Kumar, Hemant Ogle, Palot MJ, Divakar K Mesta, Rao GR, SudhiraHS, Vijaya Cavale, Harish Bhat, Sumanth, Thulasiraman, Vishnupriya S, MittalGala, Ramanath Chandrashekar, Dayani Chakravarthy, Vipul Ramanuj, SrinidhiKashyap, Subramanian KA, Gowri Shanker, Pradeep Gangadkar AS, ArchnaSingh, Boominathan M, Subash Chandran MD, Ramachandra TV, Nisarg R Prakash, Ganesh HS, Aravind NA, Vijay Mohan Raj, Manoj Kumar, Lingaraja, Manikantan, Avinash KG, Suresh GB, Manjunatha MJ, Sushanto Sen, Preeti and forest guards, watchers and many on lookers.

Thank you