New record of Schismatorhynchus (Nukta) Nukta (Sykes) (Pisces: Cyprinidae) from Moyar River, Tamil Nadu

2 Pages·1997·2.7 MB·

by  A Manimekalan

170 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vcl 94 (1997)
.
REDISCOVERY OF THE BLACK MICROHYLID FROG, MELANOBATRACHUS
27.
INDICUS (BEDDOME
1878)
(With oneplate)
The monotypic genus Melanobatrachus is earlier were Annamalai hills. North Travancore,
endemic to the Western Ghats of South India. South West India and Cochin (Parker 1934). The
Melanobatrachusindicus commonlycalled therare present sighting would fall within the old
,
black microhylid, was first described by Beddome Travancore province reported earlier. However,
in 1878. This description was based on a few distribution of the species in the Western Ghats
specimens collected from “the Annamalais and the remains confounding, due to lack of information
ghat range to the south of those mountains” on the exact locality of earlier collections.
(Beddome 1878). Subsequent descriptions of the The external morphology and colour of the
species were based on the initial collection made by microhylid sighted corresponds well with the
Beddome. description provided by Boulenger (1890). The
I have been conducting systematic surveys of scarletblotches on the underside ofthe forelimb and
amphibiansin Kalakad-Mundunthurai TigerReserve thigh region were prominent. The skin was pustular,
(KMTR) from May 1996. KMTR falls within the with pustules arranged in five longitudinal rows on
South-Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu State. This the dorsum. It had small palebluespots on the flanks
survey was part of the studies on the impact of and on the sides of limbs. It is interesting to note
fragmentation of rain forests on herpetofauna and that this species has not been recorded in any ofthe
small mammalsin theWestern Ghats. One individual surveys orcollection-basedstudiesin theregion since
of M. indicus was seen in Kakachi in (KMTR) at its description in 1878. There is clear indication
m
1200 altitude, on 26thJune, 1996. This individual that this species is rare and intensive surveys are
was sighted at 1920 hours on a rock at the edge of required togathermoreinformation on thisenigmatic
Wet-evergreen forest. Previouscollectionsweremade species.
m
at altitudes ranging from 1000 to 1500 (Parker
1934). They were reported from moist evergreen October 10, 1996 KARTHIKEYAN VASUDEVAN
forest in a torpid state, curled up in a ball (Beddome Wildlife Institute ofIndia,
1878). The localities of the specimens collected P.O. Box 18, Dehradun 248 001.
References
Beddome, Lt. Col. R.H. (1878): Description of a Boulenger, G.A. (1890):FaunaofBritish India,Reptiliaand
new Batrachian from South India belonging to the Batrachia. London, Taylor and Francis.
family Phryniscidae. Proc. Zool. Soc. bond. 722 Parker,H.W. (1934): Amonographofthefrogsofthefamily
723. Microhylidae. London.
28, NEW RECORD OF SCHISMATORHYNCHUS (NUKTA) NUKTA (SYKES) (PISCES:
CYPRINIDAE) FROM MOYAR RIVER, TAMIL NADU
During the course of our studies on the status Moyar. near Thengumarada in Tamil Nadu. This
and conservation perspectives of rare and endemic species, commonly called “Nukta”, has not been
fishes of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), a previously recorded from Tamil Nadu. The
specimen of Schismatorhynchus (Nukta) nukia southernmost limit ofits distribution is, till now, up
(Sykes), a cyprinid fish was collected from the river to Karnataka (Taiwar and Jhingran, 1991) and this
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