Wikipedia:Today's featured article/January 23, 2024
Nyctibatrachus major, the Malabar night frog, is a species in the robust frog family. First described in 1882 by George Albert Boulenger, it is a large Nyctibatrachus frog, with an adult snout–vent length of 31.5–52.0 mm (1.24–2.05 in) for males and 43.7–54.2 mm (1.72–2.13 in) for females. It is mainly brownish to greyish in colour, with a greyish-white underside, light grey sides, and grey or brown markings. Sexes can be told apart by the bulbous glands near the inner thigh in males. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats mountain range of India, in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Adults are nocturnal and inhabit fast-moving forest streams at elevations of up to 900 m (3,000 ft). The diet mainly consists of other frogs and insect larvae. On hatching, tadpoles drop from leaves or rocks into a water source. The species is vulnerable: threats include habitat loss, increased human presence, and possibly nitrate pollution caused by fertiliser overuse. (Full article...)