Raorchestes thodai or the Thoda bush frog is a species of frog of the genus Raorchestes found in Ooty in the Nilgiris district of the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu in India. Scientists have observed it in the type locality, 1980 meters above sea level.[2][3] The species is named after the Thoda tribe who dwell in the region.[4][1]

Raorchestes thodai
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Anura
Family: Rhacophoridae
Genus: Raorchestes
Species:
R. thodai
Binomial name
Raorchestes thodai
Zachariah, Dinesh, Kunhikrishnan, Das, Raju, Radhakrishnan, Palot, and Kalesh, 2011

Scientists have yet to determine the frog's preferred habitat. They observed it sitting on rocks and shrubs in patches of forest near Ooty town. These areas were separated by plantations for eucalyptus, wattle, and pine. These sightings took place between 1863 and 2465 meters above sea level.[1]

Scientists believe this frog breeds through direct development, like other frogs in Raorchestes, with no free-swimming tadpole stage.[1]

Scientists believe this frog might be synonymous with Raorchestes signatus.[1]

Original description

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  • 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.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2023). "Thoda Bush Frog: Raorchestes thodai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T56041099A56041113. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T56041099A56041113.en. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Raorchestes thodai Zachariah, Dinesh, Kunhikrishnan, Das, Raju, Radhakrishnan, Palot, and Kalesh, 2011". AmphibiaWeb. University of California, Berkeley. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  3. ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Raorchestes thodai 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.
  4. ^ Manoj, E. M. (7 August 2011). "New species of frogs found in Western Ghats". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
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