What is Indian Painted Frog?

About Indian Painted Frog:

• It is a species of narrow-mouthed frog that is part of the Microhylidae family.
• Scientific Name: Uperodon taprobanicus
• Distribution: It is found in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, southern and eastern India, and Nepal up to an altitude of about 1300 metres.
• It is most common in Sri Lanka. In India, it is found in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, and is most common in the southern areas of the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• Features:
  • It can grow to an adult length of up to 75 millimetres (7.5 cm) from snout to vent with females being slightly larger than males. 
  • This species is notable for its striking appearance, characterized by its smooth, rounded body and distinctive colouration, which often includes shades of brown, with patches of brighter colours such as orange or yellow.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Key Facts about Kawal Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in northeastern part of Telangana (Old Adilabad district), with the Godavari River on one side and the Maharashtra border on the other.
• It forms part of the Deccan peninsula-central highlands.
• Rivers: The reserve is the catchment for the rivers Godavari and Kadam, which flow towards the south of the sanctuary.
• Corridor: It has connectivity to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra in the north and to the Indravati Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh towards its north-eastern side.
• Habitat: It has diverse habitats comprising dense forests, grasslands, open areas, rivers, streams, and water bodies.
• Vegetation: Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.
• Flora:
  • Teak is found extensively, along with Bamboo.
  • As many as 673 plant species have been recorded, and the important ones are Anogeissus latifolia, Mitragyna parviflora, Terminalia crenulata, Terminalia arjuna, Boswellia serrata, etc.
• Fauna:
  • It has a faunal diversity which is typical of the Deccan Plateau.
  • The major wild animals include: nilgai, chousinga, chinkara, black buck, sambar, spotted deer, wild dog, wolf, jackal, fox, tiger, leopard, and the jungle cat.

Q1: What are Deciduous Forests?

A deciduous forest is a type of forest dominated by trees that lose their foliage at the end of the growing season. This is in contrast to an evergreen forest where a majority of the trees remain “green” throughout the year because they shed leaves not seasonally but at various periods of the year. In a deciduous forest, there is a complete seasonal loss of leaves followed by the production of new foliage. The term deciduous means “temporary” or “tending to fall off”.

Source: Rare Indian Painted Frog spotted at Telangana tiger reserve

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