Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Phlyogeography and Chytrid screening in evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered amphibian family Nasikabatrachidae in the Western Ghats |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Mr. Sandeep Das, University Of Calicut, Kerala |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2024 |
Contact info : | macri.sandeepdas@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | Nasikabatrachidae, the first new frog family, was first described in 1926 and is now considered evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered. The species, known as the Purple Frog, was first found in the Western Ghats of India and later in the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. It is also considered a living fossil due to its evolutionary history dating back to Gondwanan times and its connection to the Sooglosidae family in Seychelles. The conservation of this unique species is crucial due to its fossorial nature. Major threats to the species include changing climates, habitat loss, mining, habitat degradation, natural calamities, and linear intrusions. Diseases such as Chytridiomycosis and Bd are still unknown, and more research is needed to understand their presence in these species. All known studies on the species are limited to their distribution, breeding behavior, tadpoles, vocalization, and predation. The study aims to understand the phylogeography pattern, genetic diversity, and environmental factors influencing these species in rapidly changing habitat and climatic conditions. The project also evaluates the presence/absence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis and potentially sympatric amphibians. |
Organizations involved