UpdateBot at 19:28, 27 February 2022

2022-02-27T19:28:34Z

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{{Short description|Species of amphibian}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Nyc dat.jpg
| status = CR
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group |date=2012 |title=''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'' |volume=2012 |page=e.T173018A1375545 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T173018A1375545.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis
| authority = Dinesh, Radhakrishnan & Bhatta, 2008
}}

The '''Dattatreya night frog''' (''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'') is a [[species]] of frog in the family [[Nyctibatrachidae]] first described in the [[Shola]] forests around the [[Dattatreya Peeta]] in the [[Chikkamagaluru district]] of [[Karnataka]]. It is still known only from this part of the [[Western Ghats]], India.<ref name=frost>{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/?action=names&taxon=Nyctibatrachus+dattatreyaensis |title=''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'' Dinesh, Radhakrishnan, and Bhatta, 2008 |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2013 |work=Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |accessdate=4 December 2013}}</ref>

==Description==
This species' head is wider than long; the skin on the dorsum is highly wrinkled with transverse corrugated folds - three discontinuous longitudinal folds, one dorsolaterally and two laterally; the webbing on toes is medium (three-quarters of the length); two yellowish bands occur on the dorsolateral area, prominent from subadult to adult stage; femoral glands are present. ''N. dattatreyaensis'' is a medium-sized (about 40 mm) frog active during night. The thumb pad and femoral glands are prominent in mature males. The eyes are golden yellow with black rhomboidal pupils. The upper surface of the body is reddish-black to stone black, with two yellow lateral bands. In day time, the frog prefers to hide below small boulders and damp leaf litter along the slow-flowing streams of the Shola forests in the hill ranges.<ref>Dinesh, KP, Radhakrishnan C & Gopalakrishna Bhatta (2008) A new species of ''Nyctibatrachus'' Boulenger (Amphibia: Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) from the surroundings of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India, Zootaxa 1914: 45–56</ref>

==Discovery==
The frog was discovered in 2008 by scientists from [[Zoological Survey of India]]. It was named ''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'', after the Dattatreya shrine in its habitat.

==Distribution==
''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'' is only known only from [[Dattatreya Peeta]] in the [[Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary]], [[Kemmangundi]], and [[Baba Budangiri]]. All these sites are located in the [[Chikkamagaluru district]], [[Karnataka]], India.<ref name=frost/>

==Conservation status and risks==
The Chandra Drona Parvatha hill ranges are noted for medicinal herbs. Unauthorised collection of herbs is rampant. The area is under immense human pressure from ecotourism. The water source of the Manikyadhara Falls is endangered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113054010500.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103134648/http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113054010500.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-11-03 |title=Kerala / Kozhikode News : Another frog species discovered |date=2008-11-30 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |accessdate=2011-09-21}}</ref> Consequently, ''Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis'' is assessed as being "[[critically endangered]]".<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q3346620}}

[[Category:Nyctibatrachus]]
[[Category:Frogs of India]]
[[Category:Endemic fauna of the Western Ghats]]
[[Category:Amphibians described in 2008]]

Dattatreya night frog - Revision history

UpdateBot at 19:28, 27 February 2022