Microhyla ornata (Dumeril and Bibron, 1841)

Deuti, Kaushik, Ray, Sukumar, Bag, Probhat & Dey, Swapan Kumar, 2017, Amphibians of the Duars area of Northern West Bengal, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 117 (3), pp. 221-241 : 225

3. Microhyla ornata (Dumeril and Bibron, 1841)

1841. Engystoma ornatum Dumeril and Bibron, Erp. Gen. , 8: 745.

Common Name: Ornate narrow-mouthed Frog (English).

Specimens examined: 7ex:A 11938from Jayanti, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Alipurduar district, West Bengal (26°36’931”N, 89°31’570”E) collected on 02.vi.2014; A 11945 from Rajabhatkhawa, Buxa Tiger Reserve , Alipurduar district , West Bengal (26°36’839”N, 89°31’929”E) collected on

04.vi.2014; A 11967 – A 11968 from Mendabari, Chilapata forest, Jalpaiguri district , West Bengal (26°36’687”N, 89°23’996”E) collected on 10.6.2014; A 12434 from Hollong, Jaldapara National Park, Jalpaiguri district , West Bengal (26°63’324”N, 89°30’635”E) collected on

20.viii.2015; A 12466 from CC Line Beat, Chilapata forest, Jalpaiguri district , West Bengal (26°36’847”N, 89°21’086”E) collected on 18.viii.2015 and A 12467 from Madarihat, Jaldapara National Park, Jalpaiguri district , West Bengal (26°65’962”N, 89°31’508”E) collected on

19.viii.2015. The measurements of the frogs collected are given below in millimeters:

Distinguishing features: Small-sized, vividly patterned, squat and active frogs with bulging eyes. The head is rather small with a narrow pointed snout which projects beyond the mouth. Ear-drum is indistinct. Fingers are slender and do not bear webbing. Tips of the fingers and toes are flattened and blunt but the fingers and toes do not bear enlarged discs. Rudiment of webbing between the toes. Two small but distinct and oval inner and outer pedal tubercles are present. The skin is smooth.

Colour: Upperside is light brown to bronze with distinct dark brown diamond-shaped marking over the back, beginning between the eyes, narrowing behind the head and widening above the shoulder, then narrowing again and finally broadening out. A dark streak extends along the sides from behind the eye to the shoulder. Limbs are with dark cross bars. The belly is dull white and the throat and chest are black in breeding males.

Habitat: They normally move about and feed amongst grass, herbs and bushes growing on moist soil and under fallen bamboo leaves on the banks of ponds and lakes. They generally tend to stay under the cover of a stone or log and leaf litter. They occur throughout the year in towns, forests and agricultural lands in the duars area.

Remarks: Very common throughout the duars area of northern West Bengal. Their numbers and calls become prominent after a heavy shower during the monsoons. Can call very loud and jump tremendously when compared to its small size. Breeding commences just after the arrival of the monsoon rains. Several males can be heard calling from evening near temporary rain-water pools. However the call is ventriloquistic and makes location of the small frog quite difficult. Reported earlier from West Bengal ( Sarkar, Biswas and Ray, 1992) and Deuti (1995).

Size: 18-27 mm (snout-vent length).