Description
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Raorchestes luteolus can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters; (1) medium-sized adult males (SVL 26.8 mm, +/- 1.7 mm, n = 7); (2) pointed snout; (3) rounded canthus rostralis; (4) yellow to yellowish-brown dorsum, uniformly granular in texture and usually with 4-6 faint discontinuous stripes running from snout to vent; (5) loreal and tympanic regions golden yellow to yellowish brown (Biju and Bossuyt 2009). Gururaja et al. (2007) noted that the female in an amplected pair was larger but did not provide a measure of the female size. Males are yellow during breeding season and cream in the non-breeding season. The pupil is golden and the eyes have a complete blue ring on the outer margins of the pupil (Gururaja et al. 2007). This species can be distinguished from the similar species R. travancoricus by having a pointed snout (vs. oval snout in R. travancoricus), rounded canthus rostralis (vs. indistinct), uniformly granular dorsum (vs. shagreened), yellowish sides (vs. light brown), and lack of a dark-brown streak on either side of the snout (vs. presence of dark-brown snout streaks) (Biju and Bossuyt 2009).This species was described by Kuramoto and Joshy (2003), as Philautus luteolus. Subsequently Philautus neelanethrus (described by Gururaja et al. 2007 from Shimoga District in Karnataka state) was synonymized with P. luteolus by Biju and Bossuyt (2009). This species was then transferred from the genus Philautus into the genus Raorchestes by Biju et al. (2010).
- Biju, S. D., Shouche, Y., Dubois, A., Dutta, S. K., and Bossuyt, F. (2010). ''A ground-dwelling rhacophorid frog from the highest mountain peak of the Western Ghats of India.'' Current Science, 98, 1119-1125.
- Das, I. (2004). Raorchestes luteolus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 05 October 2011.
- Gururaja, K. V., Aravind, N. A., Ali, S., Ramachandra, T. V., Velevan, T.P ., Krishnakumar, V., and Aggarwal, R. K. (2007). ''A new frog species from the central Western Ghats of India, and its phylogenetic position.'' Zoological Science, 24, 525-534.
Distribution and Habitat
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Endemic to the Western Ghats region of India, in Karnataka state (Jog Falls, Kempholay, Kirundadu, Kudremukh-Malleshwaram, Madenadu, Mavingundi, Mercara, Muthodi, Sakleshpur, and Shimoga District). It has been found in disturbed habitat near coffee plantations, adjacent to secondary forest (Biju and Bossuyt 2009). In Shimoga District, this species was found mainly at mid-altitudinal range (500-700 m) in evergreen/semi-evergreen/moist deciduous forest patches, generally within vegetated areas described as Myristica swamps. Individuals have been found on leaves and stems of shrubs, at about 1 m from the ground (Gururaja et al. 2007).
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
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Presumably this species is a direct developer as are all other species in the genus. A recent paper (Gururaja et al. 2007) described a single pair in amplexus moving from the shrubs to a cavity inside a leaf-litter heap on the ground, in an area lacking any standing bodies of water, and concluded that this is indicative of possible understory nesting behavior. The mating call has been described as a long trill with a short introductory phase having fast pulses and a long main phase with slowly repeated pulses (Kuramoto and Joshy 2003). It has also been described as a shrill "treeek" followed by a series of "tink" notes (Gururaja et al. 2007). Two different call types have been noted: repeated short-duration calls (0.27-0.42 sec) and long-duration calls ranging from 1.42 sec to 71.92 sec in duration, at a frequency of 2.35-2.41 kHz (Gururaja et al. 2007). In Mercara, males began calling at dusk from under the leaf litter, and then climbed into vegetation about 1 m from the ground and continued calling until about 22:00 h (Biju and Bossuyt 2009).
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
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This species is poorly known. Habitat loss and degradation may be a threat, since the Western Ghats in general are undergoing increased human settlement. This species may occur within Kudrumkh National Park but has not yet been confirmed to occur there (Das 2004).
Raorchestes luteolus
provided by wikipedia EN
Raorchestes luteolus (sometimes known as Coorg yellow bush frog) is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, where it is only known from the state of Karnataka. Many of the known populations are from the Kodagu district, known also by its anglicised former name of Coorg—hence the common name. It is also known from the Shimoga district in the Sharavathi basin where it was described as a new species, Philautus neelanethrus, but this is now considered to be a junior synonym of Raorchestes luteolus.[2][3]
Description
Raorchestes luteolus is a small frog, males measuring 24–29 mm (0.94–1.14 in) in snout-vent length. Its colour is variable. The dominant colour form is yellowish brown with light-brownish lines or light-yellowish with discontinuous light-brown lines, but some individuals may be almost golden yellow with only faint spots. The iris is light brown encircled with a bluish green outer ring.[3]
Raorchestes luteolus is a close relative of Raorchestes travancoricus with which it can be confused. The distinguishing characters are its medium size (mean adult male snout-vent length 26.8 mm), pointed snout, rounded canthus, yellow or yellowish brown dorsum with dark brown spots and faint discontinuous lines, and loreal and golden yellow or yellowish brown tympanic regions.[3]
Habitat
Raorchestes luteolus are most commonly found in disturbed habitats, near coffee plantations adjacent to primary forests and waysides.[3] In Sharavathi it was also found from Myristica swamps.[4]
Behaviour
Raorchestes luteolus are often found on leaves or stems of shrubs about one metre above the ground. Male frogs start calling at dusk, first under the leaf litter and then ascending to the vegetation. Call characteristics may differ between populations; in particular, between the Sharavathi frogs described as Philautus neelanethrus and the nominal Raorchestes luteolus.[4]
Life cycle
The life cycle of Raorchestes luteolus is not known in any detail, but the observation of a pair in amplexus away from water suggests that it has direct development,[4] as is typical for the genus Raorchestes.[5]
Gallery
Raorchestes luteolus in amplexus at Agumbe
Raorchestes luteolus from Bisle
Raorchestes luteolus (Yellow bush frog)
Male Raorchestes luteolus vocalizing
References
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^ "Raorchestes luteolus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T88976304A166156778. 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
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^ Frost, Darrel R. (2013). "Raorchestes luteolus (Kuramoto and Joshy, 2003)". Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
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^ a b c d Biju, S. D.; Bossuyt, F. (2009). "Systematics and phylogeny of Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Anura, Rhacophoridae) in the Western Ghats of India, with descriptions of 12 new species". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 155 (2): 374–444. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2008.00466.x.
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^ a b c Gururaja, KV; Aravind NA; Ali S; Ramachandra TV; Velavan TP; Krishnakumar V; Aggarwal RK (2007). "A new frog species from the central Western Ghats of India, and its phylogenetic position". Zoological Science. 24 (5): 525–534. doi:10.2108/zsj.24.525. PMID 17867853. S2CID 14673032.
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^ Biju, S. D.; Yogesh Shouche; Alain Dubois; S. K. Dutta; Franky Bossuyt (2010). "A ground-dwelling rhacophorid frog from the highest mountain peak of the Western Ghats of India" (PDF). Current Science. 98 (8): 1119–1125.
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Raorchestes luteolus: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Raorchestes luteolus (sometimes known as Coorg yellow bush frog) is a species of frog in the family Rhacophoridae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats, India, where it is only known from the state of Karnataka. Many of the known populations are from the Kodagu district, known also by its anglicised former name of Coorg—hence the common name. It is also known from the Shimoga district in the Sharavathi basin where it was described as a new species, Philautus neelanethrus, but this is now considered to be a junior synonym of Raorchestes luteolus.
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