Wildlifeof India
Walkerana phrynoderma
True Frogs, Night Frogs & Allies
Photo: (c) Ansil B.R., some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Walkerana phrynoderma
Basic stats
Habitat
Terrestrial, in leaf litter in tropical moist forest; nocturnal
Range
Endemic to the Anaimalai Hills, Kerala and Tamil Nadu: Munnar, Eravikulam, Valparai, Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Palni Hills
Walkerana phrynoderma is endemic to the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a very rare, nocturnal, terrestrial frog associated with leaf litter in tropical moist forest, known from Munnar, Eravikulam National Park, Valparai tea gardens, Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Grass Hills National Park and the Palni Hills (Wikipedia, general species account).
Its tadpoles do not live in water: they move across wet rocks and moss using their tails and back legs, which grow in earlier than in other tadpoles. Scientists consider climate change a possible threat, through changes to the monsoon patterns the frog needs to breed (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Walkerana phrynoderma live in?
- Terrestrial, in leaf litter in tropical moist forest; nocturnal
- Where is the Walkerana phrynoderma found?
- Endemic to the Anaimalai Hills, Kerala and Tamil Nadu: Munnar, Eravikulam, Valparai, Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Palni Hills