World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

AMPHIBIAN FAUNA (FAMILY: MICROHYLIDAE AND RHACOPHORIDAE) ASSORTMENT AND ALLOCATION IN SOUTH INDIA

Dr. S. V. Subba Reddy, K. Ruhinaz, Dr. M. Muniya Naik, Dr. A. Jayasankar, P. Sandhya, V. Uday Kiran, *Dr. R. Sivasankar

ABSTRACT

South Indian region has vast number of flora and fauna, and also many endemic and endangered species. Amphibians are represented by high species richness and endemism in south india, Though there are few studies that have looked at the ecological aspects of the amphibians in the Western Ghats, inventories of amphibians are available for many parts of the Ghats. Though the amphibians are considered as biological indicators for their susceptibility to even very small changes in the surrounding environment and their habitats typically spread across the interface between terrestrial and aquatic habitats. They are the only vertebrate group with dual life stages and perform vital ecological functions. However, amphibian diversity of the Western Ghats is facing major threats due to deforestation, human dominated land-scapes and rapid urbanization resulting in land use changes, loss and modification of habitat. The present survey revealed that the family Microhylidae consists of 61 genera and 279 species in the worldwide, of which 15 species belonging to 5 genera occur in India. One species found in the present survey. Mean while the family Rhacophoridae includes 10 genera and 186 species in the world, of which 6 genera and 52 species occur in India. Now two species are found.

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