Occurrence of the Malabar torrent toad Ansonia ornata Gunther in South Kanara, Karnataka

2 Pages·1991·1.1 MB·

by  R Daniels

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 127
Species Known occurrence (Inger&Dutta 1986) Extension ofknown occurrence
19. Rana keralensis Kerala Goa, Karnataka,
Dubois, 1980 Tamil Nadu
20. Ranaleithii Gujarat, Kerala,Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra Tamil Nadu
Boulenger,1888
21. Rana leptodactyla Kerala TamilNadu
Boulenger, 1882
22. Rana malabarica Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra Goa, Karnataka
Tchudi, 1838
23. Ranasemipalmala Kerala Tamil Nadu
Boulenger, 1882
24. Ranasyhadrensis Maharashtra, Orissa Goa
Annandale, 1919
25. Rana temporalis Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra Tamil Nadu
(Gunther, 1864)
26. Tomopterna breviceps Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Orissa,Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat,
(Schneider, 1799) Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, UttarPradesh, West Bengal. Maharashtra,Madhya Pradesh
27. Tomopterna rufescens Kerala, Maharashtra Goa, Karnataka
(Jerdon, 1854)
RHACOPHORIDAE
28. Philautus bombayensis Maharashtra Goa
(Annandale, 1919)
29. Philautus chalazodes Kerala Karnataka, TamilNadu
(Gunther, 1865)
30. Philautusglandulosus Kerala, Maharashtra Tamil Nadu
(Jerdon, 1853)
31. Philautus leucorhinus Kerala Goa, Karnataka
&
(Lichtenstein Martens, 1856)
32. Philautus variabilis Andhra Pradesh, Kerala Tamil Nadu, Karnataka
(Gunther, 1858)
33. Rhacophorusmalabaricus Karnataka, Kerala Goa, Tamil Nadu
Jerdon, 1870
GYMNOPHIONA
ICHTHYOPHIDAE
34. Ichthyophissikkimensis Sikkim, West Bengal Kerala
Taylor, 1960
31 OCCURRENCE OF THE MALABAR TORRENT TOAD ANSONIA ORNATA GUNTHER
.
IN SOUTH KANARA, KARNATAKA
The Malabar torrent toadAnsonia ornata is one of stretches of coffee, rubber and cardomom estates, still
the little known anurans in India. The only known retains a fair amount of tall rainforests along the slopes
specimensofthisbrightlycolouredtoadareprobablyfrom and higherreaches. Itreceives an annual rainfall of4500-
the Brahmagiri hills in Coorg (Daniel, J.C., JDNHS 60: 6000mm, with only fourdry months (December- March).
415-438). I recently found quite a few individuals ofthis The terrain is rugged with several narrow torrential
toad atNeria, asmallhill station offthe wellknown Dhar- streams that were flowing fast especially during October-
mastalaintheSouthKanaradistrict. Neria, despiteits vast November (1990) when I was there, the slimy rocks were
)
128 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. 88
the microhabitats for several species of frogs. adults with 1, 2, 3 and 5 spots on the belly. Thejuveniles
During the short stay (28 October to 3 November lack the yellow spots but have a red belly patch, though
1990) Icame across atleast 10 ofthese torrent toads at an less clearlydefined. Dorsally they are more marbled with
altitude ofc. 600 m. There were morejuveniles and these olive. The freshly metamorphosing toads are more
were oftenfar from waterin the wetlitter.The adults were olivaceous with fine black marbling. The tadpoles are
on wet rocks just above water in the fast flowing rivers. black, stocky and comparatively short-tailed and show
There were freshly metamorphosing toads with tails on remarkable capacity to cling to the slimy rocks under
the rocks above water and also tadpoles clinging to the water. One tadpole was observed scaling a rock to get to
rocks in the torrents ofat least one of the rivers visited. a small puddle ofrain water.
The Malabar torrent toad is quite remarkable for its I wasnotabletoobserve anythingonthetoad’sfood
slender build andstriking colour. Forpossible benefits of and behaviour in the field. One adult thatis in a small ter-
camouflage, the moststriking colourpattern ofbrightyel- rariumatBangaloreprefersto siton top'ofarockprovided,
low andred arerestricted to the undersideofthetoad. The in anuprightposition, displaying thebrightcoloursonthe
adults noted were 2.8-3.2 cm in length (snout-vent), jet belly and limbs. It has not yet started accepting food.
black above withyellow spots on the limbs and belly. The
belly is brickred, theredbeing a circularpatch. Thenum-
ber of yellow spots on this red belly is variable. I found November 16, 1990 RANJIT DANIELS
ON THE MIGRATION OF THE LARGE CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY
32.
PIERIS BRASSICAE IN KASHMIR
(With a text-figure
The large cabbage white Pieris brassicae is com- movementsofthis species areconspicuous andwelldocu-
mon in the western Himalayas. It is an altitudinalmigrant, mented in Europe (Williams 1930), butthepublisheddata
descending to plains and lowerhills in winter and migrat- from India is fragmentary. The following is one such in-
ing back in summer (Wynter-Blyth 1957). The mass stance of migration of this species.
The location was the western ridge of the Overa
Wildlife Sanctuary, Kashmir, the altitude being 3800 m.
On one side the ridge falls sharply towards Liddar valley
and on the other side the slope is gradual towards the
Jhelum valley. The top of the ridge is narrow at some
places broadening to grassy meadows strewn with alpine
flowers. The ridge is flanked by stands of silver birch
(Betula sp.), sparser near the top.
Themassmovementofbutterflies wasfirstnotedon
themorning of28 May 1988. The weatherwas calm, clear
and sunny, andremained thus throughout. Itcontinued till
afternoon of the next day. Thereafter it became cloudy,
overcast with a hint of rain. As we became aware of the
sudden influx of butterflies it became apparent that a
migrationwas inprogress.Thebutterflies werecomingup
the ridge in an incessant stream. The flight was rapid in
one direction and the butterflies were flying on, hardly
resting. They kept mostly to the crest of the ridge, and at
the centre the air appeared to be thick with butterflies,
flying from ground level almost till the eye could reach.
Sostrikingandconspicuouswasthismovementthatitwas
impossible not to notice it. The direction ofthe flight was
from south to north (Fig. 1).
The flight of the butterflies was followed uptil a
Fig. 1. Overa Wildlife Sanctuary. Dotted line is the approximate point where theridge rises sharply to about4000 m. Here
3300m contour. Arrow shows direction ofbutterfly migration. the butterflies were fluttering up close to the cliff face in