Malabar Tree Toad

About Malabar Tree Toad: 

• It is the only species in the monotypic genus Pedostibes.
• It was first discovered in 1876 and the species was not sighted for more than 100 years. 
• It was later rediscovered in 1980 at Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.
• Distribution: It is endemic to India’s Western Ghats.
• Habitat: It can be found along streams, on trees, and in tree cavities at a height of about 30 cm –10 m above the ground, in evergreen to moist deciduous forests at an altitude ranging from 50 m to over 1000 m above sea level.
• It is the only arboreal species in India, having the unique capability to climb trees and dwell unlike the majority of the toads in the region that are ground-dwelling. 
• It comes to the ground to breed in water pools at the edges of the streams generated during the monsoon, implying that precipitation and moisture provide the necessary conditions for MTT to breed.

Q1: What are arboreal species?

Animals that live in the trees are called ‘arboreal’ and they have some amazing adaptations to make the most of their leafy surroundings at every level.

Source: Endemic Malabar Tree Toad populations may decline 68.7% due to climate change: Study

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