A new distribution record of <i>Polypedates taeniatus</i> (Amphibia : Anura : Rhacophoridae) with notes on its Breeding Call and Post-Embryonic developmental stages

Abstract

The Terai Reed frog, Polypedates taeniatus (Boulenger, 1906) was described on the basis of two specimens collected from Purneah, Bihar by W. Patridge. IUCN categorized the species as Least Concern due to its wide distribution all along the Himalayan foothills of Nepal and India at elevations below 500 meters a.s.l, supposedly large population and unlikeliness of declining fast enough to be considered in a threatened category. Although their breeding call was syllabilized (Ray, 1991) it was never recorded and analyzed. Nothing was known about the developmental stages of this Rhacophorid anuran which was known to inhabit tall grasslands. While conducting casual field-work in Behala Aerodrome area of south Kolkata, West Bengal, we observed the presence of the species calling from Typha angustifolia reeds. Three foam-nests were also collected and brought to the laboratory for study. The tadpoles were studied and photographed to determine their life stages (Gosner stages). It’s each post-embryonic stage was measured later for their body lengths and tail lengths. Collection of three adult frogs (Registration No: ZSI A 11457 - A 11459) constitutes the first record of the species from the State of West Bengal, India and is more than 600 km from the foothills of the Himalayas. The breeding call of the species was recorded and analyzed. One call was analyzed; the call width was 4.103 seconds with 46 pulses. The pulse rate was 11.21 pulses per second. The fundamental frequency was found to be 1156 Hertz and the peak frequency was 2832 Hertz.