SPPU researchers identify first frog species from Maharashtra which gets genetic identity after 100 years
SPPU researchers identify first frog species from Maharashtra which gets genetic identity after 100 years
Pune based researchers identified and re-described the cricket frog, Minervarya syhadrensis, the first frog described from Maharashtra in 1919 by Scottish zoologist Thomas Nelson Annandale in the pre independent India. Over a period of one century researchers were facing problems in the identification of this frog due to variations in its color pattern and morphology matching with the other frogs making its identification very difficult. This frog was confused with the other frog species Fejervarya limnocharis known from Indonesia.
Interesting facts : The other interesting finding of the study is, due to morphological similarities the males of Minervarya syhadrensis attempt to breed with the females of the other species (Minervarya agricola) available in the field during breeding season ending up in unviable inter species hybrids says Dr. Samadhan Phuge, researcher at Pune University. The males of Minervarya syhadrensis generally amplect with the females of the other species (Minervarya agricola). Both the species of frogs call in chorus in the field during breeding season (with enormous noise), which creates difficulties in mate selection for both the species says Dr. Samadhan Phuge.
This is one of the classical studies where researchers have addressed a century old problem with the DNA barcode data and have made a first report of possible inter species hybrids between two genetically distantly related species using acoustic data. The authors believe that the study will stimulate the researchers to investigate the identity and distribution of other classical species of the genus described from India, which lost their identity over the time.
While commenting, Dr. Dinesh said that in the possible scenario of climate change and shifting rainfall patterns DNA barcode data and acoustic data is critical to understand the species and species distribution. Cricket frogs of the genus Minervarya are aquatic to semi-aquatic in habitat and they are found to be locally abundant in paddy fields and wetlands, their very presence indicates the pristinely of the environment.
