News Excerpt:
The rediscovery provides evidence of a historic land bridge between India and Sri Lanka during the late Pleistocene period or the Ice Age, says experts from the Zoological Survey of India.
More About the News: The rare Sri Lankan wetland frog, Hylarana gracilis, was recently spotted in the Palamaner forest range of the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary in the Chittoor district.
- Where it was found: Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India, in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board, rediscovered this species after a gap of two centuries in the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary, located in the southernmost region of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh. This discovery brings the total number of freshwater frog species in India to 20.
- Official Confirmation: Initially, experts from the Zoological Survey of India, Hyderabad, encountered frogs resembling a potential new species near a pond in the forest. However, after thorough consultation with taxonomic experts and utilizing morphological and DNA barcoding techniques, it was confirmed that the species is indeed the Sri Lankan golden-backed frog, Hylarana gracilis. This rediscovery carries significance beyond merely finding a new species, as it provides evidence for the historical land bridge that once connected India and Sri Lanka.
- Importance: Amphibians serve as important ecological indicators of ecosystem health, and the Eastern Ghats are home to 27 species of amphibians, a notably lower number compared to the Western Ghats. Currently, the populations of the Sri Lankan golden-backed frog in India and Sri Lanka are separated by approximately 800 kilometers. Moreover, there exists a minor genetic divergence of 0.2% to 1% between these populations, further supporting the notion of past changes in sea levels during the late Pleistocene period or the Ice Age, which facilitated land connections between India and Sri Lanka.
