Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin)

Prasad, Vishal Kumar, Gautam, Kumudani Bala, Gupta, Sandeep Kumar, Murthy, R. Sreenivasa, Ramesh, K., Shinde, Ajinkya Duttatray & Das, Abhijit, 2020, Identification of anuran species diversity of the Panna Tiger Reserve, Central India, using an integrated approach, Zootaxa 4851 (3), pp. 450-476 : 460

Hoplobatrachus tigerinus (Daudin)

( Fig 4I )

Specimens examined: one adult male (WIIAD 228).

Morphological features: An adult male, SVL 153.9 mm; body large and stout; head marginally longer than wide; snout obtusely pointed in dorsal view and projecting beyond mouth; tympanum distinct, nearly equal to the diameter of eye, prominent supratympanic fold; arms short and strong; dorsal skin glandular with broken longitudinal ridges; finger tips without discs, relative length of fingers II <IV <I <III; toes nearly full webbed, webbing formula I0–0II0–½ III½–½ IV ½–½V), relative toes length 1<2<3<5<4, inner metatarsal tubercle present. Coloration in life: Adult male pale brown or greyish (lemon yellowish during breeding season) with dark plump spots on dorsum; prominent greenish or pale yellowish stripe from behind the eye to the groin; a white streak on upper jaw; hind limbs cross-barred with four prominent bands; ventral sides pale white. Males had distinct blue paired subgular vocal sac which is likely to be an optical cue for attraction of females ( Gomez et al. 2009; Fig 4I ).

Bioacoustics: We analysed 50 advertisement calls from five males of H. tigerinus . The males were recorded calling between 23:30–03:00 hours in July and site air temperature was between 26°C–28.5°C. The mean call duration of analysed calls was 235.30 ± 48.65 ms (181–430 ms). Recorded mean pulse rate was 76.92 ± 5.32 pulses/s (61.82–87.18 pulses/s) with 17.36 ± 2.88 pulses (13–29 pulses) delivered per call. The mean dominant frequency was 1819.14 ± 388.87 Hz (1205.90–2239.50 Hz).

Remark: A common anuran in PTR. Observed breeding in seasonal water puddles in agricultural fields and waterlogged open grasslands in early July.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Photos of anuran species in life recorded during the study:A) Duttaphrynus melanostictus; B) Duttaphrynus scaber; C) Duttaphrynus stomaticus; D) Fejervarya orissaensis; E) Minervarya caperata; F) Minervarya pierrei; G) Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis; H) Hoplobatrachus crassus; I) Hoplobatrachus tigerinus; J) Sphaerotheca pashchima; K) Microhyla nilphamariensis; L) Uperodon globulosus; M) Uperodon systoma; N) Uperodon variegatus; O) Polypedates maculatus. Red star indicates new state records for Madhya Pradesh.