Rhacophorus lateralis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhacophorus lateralis |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Rhacophoridae |
| Genus: | Rhacophorus |
| Species: |
R. lateralis
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhacophorus lateralis Boulenger, 1883
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Rhacophorus lateralis is a special type of tree frog that lives only in the Western Ghats of South India. It's a rhacophorid frog, which means it's part of a family of frogs often called "gliding frogs" or "moss frogs." This frog is also known by fun names like the small tree frog, Boulenger's tree frog, small gliding frog, and winged gliding frog.
Scientists first described this frog in 1883. After being "lost" for many years, it was found again in Coorg in 2000. Since then, it has been seen in many parts of the Western Ghats. You can find it in southern Karnataka and northern Kerala. This frog is unique because it builds its nest above the ground using leaves. It's one of the few amphibians in India that does this.
What Does This Frog Look Like?
A scientist named George Albert Boulenger first described this frog in 1883. He studied a single frog from "Malabar" (which is now Kerala). Another frog was found in Koppa in Chikmagalur.
For a long time, no one saw this frog again. Then, in 2000, a team from the University of Aberdeen rediscovered it. They found two adult female frogs and a young frog in Virajpet in South Kodagu.
The Rhacophorus lateralis is a slender frog. It has a short head and snout. It also has a clear ridge between its eye and nostril, called a canthus rostralis. Its nostrils are closer to the tip of its snout than to its eyes.
Its eyes are large, and the eardrum, called the tympanum, is about half the size of its eye. There's a clear fold of skin above the eardrum. Its fingers and toes have large, round pads called discs. These discs help the frog grip surfaces.
The frog's back (dorsum) is smooth. Its belly is bumpy, which is called granular. A special yellow stripe runs along each side of its upper body, from its nostril to its groin. This stripe helps identify the frog.
Scientists have noticed that these frogs can change their color. This might happen when they are stressed. If you handle them often, they change color less.
Some frogs are green with tiny, sky-blue spots. Others are brown with darker brown spots. The brown frogs do not have a blue line next to their yellow stripe.
Studies show that Rhacophorus lateralis is closely related to Rhacophorus malabaricus.
Where Does This Frog Live?
This frog has been found in special grasslands called sholas. You can find them in places like Eravikulam National Park and Kudremukh National Park. They also live in plantations in Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka. In Kerala, they are found in Wayanad and nearby evergreen forests.
The Rhacophorus lateralis only lives in this part of the world. This means it is endemic to the southern Western Ghats. It is often seen living near its cousin, Rhacophorus malabaricus.
What Threats Does This Frog Face?
The Rhacophorus lateralis frog is facing some big problems. Its home is disappearing because of changes in farming. Farmers might use different methods or pesticides that harm the frogs. Cutting down trees in its natural forest home also threatens these frogs. These changes make it harder for the species to survive.
 | Ernest Everett Just |
 | Mary Jackson |
 | Emmett Chappelle |
 | Marie Maynard Daly |
