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Ext'actho'r: RCpTlUn (GB urr.r:Lrrio'r..,ru r,,,.n,.r"o",.r, #56: FEIII{tiAl{y, 200g. 60 is generally an -poor countrybecause of its prevailingarid environ- mental conditions. However,with the humid riparian conditions in the Indus Valley, tor- rents and streamsin the northern Himalayan sub-mountainousregion, and the subterraneanwater channelsin the westernBalochistan highland, there are 25 amphibianspecies known from Pakistan(KHAN, 2002, 2004,2006). They belong to four families:Bufonidae, Megophryidae,Microhylidae, and Ranidae. This article is an overview of the amphibianfauna of Pakistan,with notes on their morphology,distdbution, and habits.

Family Bufonidae Toads in Pakistanare representedby eight speciesof the genus Bufo. Toads ale essentiallynocturnal, but Burrowing , Sphderotheca brevjceps also becomeactive in the daytime during breedingsea- son. They usually emerge at sunset from holes and crevices between stones, in brick walls, and in the ground. They roam widely through vegetation,feeding on insectsand their larvae,earthworms, juvenile toads, worm snakes.etc. The toads are attractedto lit areas under lampposts to feed on photophilic arthropods. They also venture freely into inhabited houseswhere usually hide under household articles, occasionally emergingto catchhouseflies, cockroaches, and spiders. Under drought conditionstoads aggregatein remain- awe load, Eufo olNaceus ing damp spots, and especially around hand pumps wherewater can splashon their bodies. The toadssquat againstthe moist soil by pushingtheir hind legs out to the sidesand pressingtheir hindquartersdown. Eveningtemperatures of 13"C (55'F), a downpour, and flow of rainwater are enough to trigger breeding activity. Toads are the first amphibiansto arrive at flooded areas,where malessoon begin very noisy cho- ruses. Breeding usually takes place in the waters brought with July and August monsoonrains, but if the rains are late, the water in irrigation channels and recentlywatered tields is readily usedfor the purpose. The call of Bufo s/omalrcusconsists mainly of repeat- ed guttural notes, "cree, cree, cree, cree, cree," The callsof other speciesare similar,with different tones- the \ndus taad, Bufa stonaticus e.9.,Bufo melanostictusrs a "curr, curr, curr." Several groups of calling malesbecome established in different areasof the water body. The females,which are fewer in number than the males, move in the vegetation aroundthe callingmales. When a femalecomes close to a male, he at oncejumps onto her to securea firm nup- tial hold. But other nales in the group try to do the same,zealously jump over each other in their attempts to mate, and there is much kicking and tugging to dis- lodge rivals. The embracingpair is grabbed from all sidesby aggressivemales, and the tusslinggroup may roll on the ground or float in the water for a long time until, perhapsdue to fatigue, the males thin out. The first male's ability to hold on tightly, together with the ability of the female to move quickly away to a quieter Sph ae rc te cd b r e vic e p s spa\\ 1

@ Keyto the toads of the familyBufonidae in Pakistan Pakistan along westem Balochistan '1 and around Quetta, but widely dis- a. Cranialcrests present ...,.,,,,.,,9 tributed in Iran. b. Cranialcrests absent ,...... ,...... ,..,,., ,...3 The olive toad, Bufo olivaceus,has I a. Supraorbitalcrest only is presenq been recorded in the extreme west- tympanumindistinct .....,.,... Bufohimalayanus ern partsof Balochistanand adjoin- b. Supraorbital,canthal, postorbital, and orlcitotympanic ing Iran. crestspres€nt, tympdnum distinct , , . , , ...... , . . . . , . . Bufo melanostictus The highlandroad. Bufo larastii.js 3 a. Tympanumdistinct ...... , . . . . , ...... , ...... 4 extensively distributed in , b. Tympanumindistinct . . . . . , ...... Bufosurdus Ladakh, , and northern 4 a. Tibialgland absent. . . , . . , ...... , ...... , . . . 5 Indian Punjab. In Pakistan it is b. Tibialgland present...... , ...... , . . . , o recorded in Ladakh in Baltistan 5 a. Dorsumwith gr€€n pattern , . , ...... , . . . , , ...... 7 between elevations of 2,600 and b. Dorsumuniformly olive ., ,...... Bufoolivaceus 3,000meters. 6 a. Tarsalfold a weak spiny line . . .. . Bufo stomaticus The Balochistantoad, Bufo viridis b, Tarsalfold present ,...... ,... ,., Bufolatastii zugmayeri. occ],fisaround Quetta, and 7 a. Bodywith green spots ...... ,...... Bufoviridis zugmaye southwardto Chagai,Balochistan. b. Body with zigzaggreen pseudoraddei blotches Eufo The Swattoad, Bufo pseudoraddei, is a highland toad found in Passu, spotwith the male on her back,helps weak tail, high dorsalfin, and narrow- Swat, Karakoram Range, Gilgit to ensure their successfulmating. er ventralfin. The anteroventraloral Agency,and Baltistan,Pakistan. The femaledeposits eggs in a double dischas a 2(2)/3labial tooth row for- gelatinous string, which she winds mula; the beak is finely serratedwith Family Megophryidae around submergedvegetation. lateral oral papillae. The representativeof this family During summer large numbers of The Indus toad' Bufo stomaticus, in Pakistan is distinguishedfrom toads are crushed by cars while is the most widely distributedtoad in the rest of the in the crossingroads to reach potential the Indo-Pakistansubcon rinen l, country by its spiny, heavily tuber- breeding sites. Crows and other occurring from Bangladeshthrough culatedbody. Sexuallydimorphic. birds feed on the exposedviscera of the GangesPlain, peninsular , the malehas strong [orelimbs. dark the roadkill, leaving the skins of the the upper and lower Indus Valleys, brown nuptial spines on the first dead toads behind. Toads are Balochistan,and acrossAfghanistan, three fi gers,a pair of dark brown also preyed on by a number of Iran, and Muscat. spiny chestglands. a large spiny animalsthat sharethe samehabi- The SoutheastAsian toad, Bufo auxiliary gland, and spines on the tat e.g.,the Indus Valley bullfrog, melanostictus,is common and wide- cloacalregion. Snout-ventlength is tigerinu\ Ihe li dislributedin sourheaslernAsia, 50-57 millimeters. Bengalmonitor. Varan us be n ga le n sis'. extending throughout northern and Dorsal colorationis gray-olive the desertmonitor, VaranusgrrseuE peninsularIndia. The populationsrn with indistinct dark brown triangular the Indian rat snake,Ptyas mucosusi. northern Pakistanhave been distin- spots;the flanks are light yellowish; the bufl striped keelback.guished as a new subspecies,Bufo the limbs are spotted;the chest and Amphiesma stolatum; the common melanostictus hararensis (KHAN, abdomenare greenishyellow. krait, Bungarus caeruleus; and the 2000). The Tibetan lazl toad. Scutrger saw-scaled viper, Eclris carinatus. The Himalayan toad, Bufo nyingchiensis, is known from the To avoid predators,the toad escapes himalayanus,is a Highland Himala- at elevationsbetween into a burrow or crevice. If no such yan speciesfound at elevations of 3,000and 3,500meters. It has been hidingplace is arailable.it buries 2,000 3,500meters above sea level. collectedfrom Azad Kashmir. Gilgit. itself in the loose soil. In Pakistan it has been recorded and the Dosai Plains in the north- Schoolsof dark Bufo tadpolesare a from Azad Kashmir, Hazara westernHimalayas. common sight in ponds and pools Division. during monsoons.Typically the Bufo The lraniantoad. Bulo surdus,is a Family Microhylidae tadpolehas an ovrl bulgingbody. Iittle known speciesreported in This is the family of narrow- mouthed , also commonly known as ant frogs. They are repre- K€yto the speciesof the familyMicrohylida€ in Pakistan sentedin Pakistanby twospecies. 1 a. Tinr 30 mm in body length;dorsum with a The common ant frog. Microhyla larg€branch€d blotch,...... o-rrata, is tiny. It stays close to b. Medium sized, 50-60 mm in body length; water, hiding under leaf litter dur- dorsumwith brown reticulation LJperodonsystoma ing day, and emerging to hunt at night. It feeds on small insectssuch

@i@ Bufo viridis zugnayeri Scutiger nyinschiensi s

Sphderoteca breviceps Eu p hI yc t k cf an o p h lrc ti s

Fejeryarya nnocharis FejeNaryasyhadrensis Hoplobatrachu s tiserinus as termites. The calling male sits tiny size of the frog. The female of water. The delicate, transpare t away from the edge ofthe water, con- deposits groups of tiny eggs. each tadpoles lorm mid-stream swimming cealed in grass. and calls in a charac- mcasuringonly 0.5 0.8 millimetersrn schools. Having no oral disc with teristicrasping voice, "bbratt, bbntL diameter,embedded in a thick gelat- chitinous structures, they filter plank- bbratt" - very loud considering the inousma:s lhat llort\ at the surhce ton suspendedin the water.

(EEP'lL|A;') Keyto the speciesof th€ familyRanidae in Pakistan sub-mountainousregions of Paki- stan. Some species (Euphlyctis 1 a. Toeshalf webbed ...... I cyanophlyctis and Sphaerotheca b. Toesextensiyely webbed .,..,....,...... ,.,,,.,,...,.., 4 breviceps) are remarkably capable 9 d. Bodytoadlike/ inner metatarsaltubercle stpvel-shaped. . . Sphderotheca breviceps of adjusting to uncertain aquatic b, Bodyfroglik€, inner metatarsaltubercle long . .., . . ,. . 3 conditionsin temperatearid parts of 3 a. Firstfinger hardlyextending beyond second ...... , . , , Fejervaryasyhadrensis Pakistan. The speciesinhabiting the b. Firstfinger longer than s€cond .. Fejeryaryalimnocharis plainscan tolerate wide rangesof pH 4 a. Bodywith spines ...... ,...... , 5 and water quality, from freshwater b. Body wjth folds HoplobatrachLtstigeinus to considerably brackish and even 5 a. Nuptialspines on at leastfirst two fingers., .,, ...... 6 polluted refusewater. b. Nuptialspines absent ....,...... ,..,...... Euphlyctis cyanophtyctis Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis spends paa 6a. Pustuleslarge, multispinulate; belly spiny , . , . . . . . , , . . , , sternosignata most of its time floating in the water, paa b, Pustulessmall, unispinulate; belly spineless...... , .. , , , hazarensis and skitters at the water sudace. Other speciesremain hidden in The marbled balloon frog, aquatic vegetation in marginal Uperodon systoma is a larger waters. Euphlyctrscyanophlyctis is a species.It lives undergroundin ter- common species,and remainsactive mite and ant tunnels,feeding on the almost throughout the year, whereas insects and their larvae. They other speciesare activeonll during emerge only during heavy rains for summer,from March to September. reproduction, when the males call Solitary Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis from the surroundinggrass. The call individuals call from permanent of this frog is describedas sounding water bodies almost year round, like the bleating of a goat. althoughactual breeding activity is The common ant frog, Microhyla initiated in early summer when onata, has a wide rangein northern water temperaturesrise to 10-15'C and central Pakistan. It also occurs (s0-59'F). Euph lyctk cyan o p h lycti s v entt al side throughout India and most of south- The calling malesof a speciesusu- easternAsra. ally gather in groups at the edgesof The marbled balloon frog, ponds with marginal vegetation. Upercdon systoma,has a wide range Some sit on the wet ground; others in Bangladeshand northern peninsu- float in the water. The calls of the lar India, but only a singlespecimen different speciesare quite distinct. has been reporled in lslamabad.The call of Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis Pakistan. is " chuutt, chuutt, chuutt," repeated several times; the call of Family Ranidae Hoplobatrachus tigertnus is " kang, A heterogeneousarray of ranid kang, kangi'; the call of Fejemarya frogs are common in the Indo- limnocharis and. Fejervarya syha- Bufo stonaticus in *eeding pool Pakistan subcontinent and south- drensls is " tak, tak, tak"; the call of easternAsia. Classificationof these Sphaerothecabreviceps is - kong- frogs has long posed problems for vong, kong-vong, kong-vongi'; and taxonomists. the call of mountain frogs of the Unlike frogs of the family genusPaa is a lbud trill, occasionally Microhylidae,ranid frogs havewide- repeated. gapingmouths and feed on a variety When calling, the males are very of largerfood ilems - including active - calling and squeakingand earthworms, other frogs, small continuously jumping over each Mis-amplexus:male Eufo olivaceus and femaL snakes,small birds and nestlings,and other, causingquite a commotion ln Sphaaroteca bteviceps even small mammals,in addition to the water. They activelyassault each insects. The tadpoles of ranids are other in thefu reproductive frenzy. large and macrophagus,with elabo- When a male and female mate, they rately armed oral disc. do not leave the site - the female Ranid frogs are mostly aquatic or may pair with severalmales, deposit- Iitto{al (e.9.,Euph lyctis cyanophlyctis). ing eggswith each. The sizesof eggs They frequent a variety of habitats vary:those of thegenus Paa are large with pooled water in the plains and (2-3 millimeters in diameter) and

@ Hoplobatachus tlgelnus in defensiv€ posture Sphaercteca brevkeps male attachedto bladesof grassor stones The Indus Valley bullfrog, and rocks in the water. Hoplobatrachus figerinus, has a Ranid tadpoles are large, with a snout-vent length of 130-145 mil- strong muscular tail, and very well limeters. It is the most commonfrog developed oral disc with variable of the Indo-Gangeticplains. It fre- (arez BalochistdnfroS, Padsternoslqnata number of rows of denticles. quents mostly cultivated areas and The Karez Balochistan frog, Paa swampywastelands. In Pakistanthis stemosignata, has a snout-vent species does not extend into length of 88-90 millimeters. This Balochistan,but it hasbeen reported speciesabounds around Quetta and in Afghanistanclose to Khyber Pass. Mastung in Karez, where under- The skittering frog, Euphlyctis ground streamscome to the surface cyanophlyctis, has a snout-vent in pools. It has also been reported length of 23-67 millimeters. It is one from Afghanistan. of the most widely distdbuted frogs 'Ihe Hazara torrenticole frog, Paa o[ southernand soutbeasternAsia, hazarensis, has a snout-vent length ranging from to Nepal, of 5542 millimeters. It is known throughout India and Sri Lanka, from fast-flowing streams in the almosttbroughout Pakistan at eleva- Sphaeroteca breiceps male, dorsal vi€w Rush Valley in Hazara Division, tions below 1,800 meters, and NWFP, Pakistan. extending westward into Iran and The annualmonsoon rainy season is The burrowing frog, Sphaerotheca Afghanistan. Its severalraces have the boom period oI amphibian brevrceps,has a snout-vent length of been describedfrom Pakistan. Its activity.wben they feed.reproduce. 49-52 millimeters. It is distributed Saudi Arabian population has been and moveabout. However,this is throughoutIndia, Nepal,, described as a disrinct species. also the seasonwhen pests attack , and Sri Lanka. In Eup hIy cti s ehr enb er gii. crops, and the consequentialspray- Pakistan it is reported from the ing of pesticides and agri-boost Himalayan foothills, and extends Threatsand conservationof chemicalsis most detdmental to the into the Potwar Tableland, with a Pakistan'samphibians amphibians. In addition, consider- spotty distribution in the ripanan The causesot global amphibian able numbers of breeding amphib- Punjab. This specieshas been col- declinesare quite complex and vary ians are crushed by traffic as they lectedftom the Hab and Malir River lrom placelo place. The usualcul- crossroads to reach their potential Valleys around . prits reckoned are depletion of the breeding sites. The southern cricket frog, ozonelayer, globalwarming, agricul- The widespreaduse of lhe species Fejervarya syhadrensis,has a snout- tural chemicals, and chytrid fungi as HoplobatraChus tigerinus as model vent length of 32-34 millimeters. It well asother implicatedphenomena. for demonstration of verte- is commonin the lower Indus Valley, In Pakislan.amphibians are local- brate anatomy has depleted natural and is widely distributed throughout ized in areasthat have more water. population of this largestand beautiful southernIndia. The alpine cricket frog, Fejervarya limnochais, has a snout-ventlength of 39-43millimeters. It is distributed in the sub-Himalayan parts of Pakistan,descending into the waters of Potwar Tableland, most of the Punjabplains and someof the lower Indus Valley where it is scarcer. It rangesfrom Japanto Pakistan. Hoploba trac hu s uge lnu s

(REPTILIA65) paa stenosignata, Karezchann.l naturalhabitat Pda hazarensis(tadpoles in brook wate,

amphibian of the Indus Plains. No conditions in the Indo-Gangetic underwent extensiveradiation. By amphibian is used as lood in plains became conduciveto animal the mid Tertiary the physiographic Pakistaniculture. colonization. During this period the conditions in the subtropical north To ensure and maintain healthy subcontinent experiencedextenstve became habitable and the ranids and prosperousamphibian commu- lnvasions of from the inraded PeninsularI ndo-Ch ina, nities, it is necessaryto establish Palearctic and Oriental zoogeo- nearby islands, and the Indo- large swampyareas as wetlandsand graphicregions. Pakistansubcontinent. I amphibian reserves free of roads The cosmopolitanfamily Bufonidae throughout the plains of Pakistan. has two major evolutionary lines. Bibliography Whereroads currentl) pass through One is a South American broad- or IlAlG. K. J., and L. GVOZDIK. 1998. potenliala mph ibian breeding sires. thick-skulled group that evolved Uperodon systorna(Schneider): record of a construction of underpass"frog- from a Bufo melanostictus-like ncw microhylid frog lrom Pakistan. Pakisfa, !. Zoo1.30t155 L56. ways" will considerably reduce ancestorin tropicalSouth America BOULENGER, G. A. 1920. A mono- amphibianroad "slaughter." during the Upper Cretaceous, and graph ofthe southAsian, Papuan,Melaneslan radiated out to North Amerrca. and Australian frogs of the genusRana. Rec. Affinities of Pakistan'samphibian This line is representedin Pakistan Indian Mus.20:1226. by Bufo melanostictus and Bufo DUBOIS,A., andM. S.KHAN. 1979.A The Himalayan massif that over- himalayanus.The other evolutionarJ new speciesof liog (genus Rana, subgenus Paa) ftom (Amphibia, looks the Indo-Gangeticplains cre- line is of naffow- or thin-skulled northern Pakistan Anura). J. FJerpetol13:403-.410. ates a barometric vacuum in the toads evolved from a Bufo calamita- KHAN, M. S. 1974. Discovery of lndo-Pakistansubcontinent in sum- like ancestorin northern subtropical Microhyla ornata Dumeril and Bibron trom mer - attracting moist winds from America. Thls line is representedin Punjab, Pakistan. Biologia (Lahore\ 20 the ArabianSea. and rhus initiaring Pakistan by Bufo stomaticus and 179 180. the monsoonscycle, the main impor- Bufo viridis. Toads of both groups KHAN, M. S. 1976. An annotatedcheck- tant annualenvironmental feature of crossedthe Bering land bridge dur- list and key to the amphibiais of Pakistan. B i oI og i a (Lah orc), 22: 20C 210. the subcontinent. ing the Oligocene and becameestab- KHAN, M. S. 1990. The impact of human In geological history, the Indian lished in temperate Eurasia, from activities on the status and distribution of Plate broke away from the vast where they radiatedout into the sub- amphibians in Pakistan. Hamadryad 15: Southern Hemisphere continent of continent. 2121. Gondwanalandand carried with it The Tibeto-Himalayan toads are KHAN, M. S. 2002. A Checklistand Key speciesof Cretaceousfauna (proba- representedin northern Pakistanby lo the Amphibia of Pakistan. Bullerit bly similar to that of Africa) to the Scutiger nyingchiensrs, Chicago Herpetologicai Sociery 37(9): and two sub- 158 163. Eurasian mainland. This fauna speciesof the Bufo vrridrs-species KHAN, M. S. 2004. Annorated Checklisr soon becameextinct without leav- group, Bufo pseudoruddei baturae, of ampbibjans and reptiles of Pakistan. ing a trace, probably becauseof and Bufo pseudoraddeipseudoraddei. Asiatic Herpetological Researcl 10: 191-201. new drier conditions.The tamily Viewsdilfer regardingthe origin KHAN. \4. S. 2005. Addirion ol a trog oi Microhylidae (narrow-mouth frogs) of the heterogeneousfrog family the family Megophryidae to the amphibian most probably had aheady separat- Ranidae. Sone believeit has a trop- fauna of Pakistan. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society a$(a): 1V71. ed from the family Ranidae when ical African origin, and others KHAN, M. S. 2006. Anphibians and the Indian Plate broke off, and believeit has a tropical southeastern Reptiles of Pakistar. Krieger Publishing microhylid frogs are believed to be Asianorigin. Evidence is stronger in Company,Malabar, Florida. the only animals transported on the favor of the former view, which KHAN, M. S., and R. TASNIM. 1989. A IndianPlate rhal have surrired in holds that the ftogs radiated north- new frog of the genus Ralra, subgenusPaa, the subcontinent. wards during the Cenozoic,and by from southwestern Az:rd Kashmir. I. Herpetol.23i 419423. The diversity of amphibian fauna the Oligocenehad established a sec- MINTON, S- A. 1966. A cont bution to of the subcontinentdates back to the ondary evolutionarycenter in south- the herpetology of West Pakisian. 8u1l Pliocene, when the physiographic eastern tropical Asia, where they Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.134(2),31,1,84.

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