COMPLEX ASSOCIATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS MAY EXPLAIN BLANCHARD'S CRICKET FROG, ACRIS BLANCHARDI, DECLINES AND DRIVE POPULATION RECOVERY

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Acris blanchardi, is a small hylid frog that was once among the most common amphibians in any part of its range. Today, it remains abundant in much of the southern portion of its range, but is now disappearing elsewhere. Our analysis of habitat characters observed across several states revealed interesting relationships of these factors with the abundance or presence of Blanchard’s Cricket Frog. Further, we later established two ½ acre ponds based on these relationships that led to immediate colonization of the ponds by cricket frogs followed by explosive production of juveniles less than a year later. Our findings suggest that habitat management for this species should specifically manage the shoreline grade and especially the aquatic floating vegetation to maximize population growth and sustenance.

Phenotypic divergence in large sized cricket frog species that crossed the geographical barriers within peninsular India

A good number of new species are being described and included in the genus Fejervarya / Minervarya from South Asia and Southeast Asia in the recent past. But, the classification or consideration of the genus Fejervarya / Minervarya is only phylogenetic, where it is difficult to morphologically identify the genus in the overlapping range of geographical distribution. Recently a large sized new species of cricket frog Fejervarya kalinga has been described, which is thought to be endemic to the Eastern Ghats (a unique geographical landscape running parallel to the East Coast of India). Here we report a morphologically variable and distinct population of F. kalinga from the Western Ghats (an amphibian diversity hotspot running parallel to the West Coast of India). We discuss the importance of genetic studies in handling such morphologically highly variable populations of the species and their adaptation to different habitats and their implications in taxonomic identity.

A new locality record of Orissa Cricket Frog, Fejervarya orissaensis (Dutta, 1997) from Purba Medinipur District, West Bengal State, India

Orissa Cricket Frog Fejervarya orissaensis was first describe by Dutta (1997). Later this species reported from only few pockets of eastern India and recently reported from some countries of South-east Asia. Here, we provide the first occurrence report for this species from State West Bengal, India.

Complex associations of environmental factors may explain Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Acris blanchardi declines and drive population recovery

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog, Acris blanchardi, is a small hylid frog that was once among the most common amphibians in any part of its range. Today, it remains abundant in much of the southern portion of its range, but is now disappearing elsewhere. Our analysis of habitat characters observed across several states revealed interesting relationships of these factors with the abundance or presence of Blanchard’s Cricket Frog. Further, we later established two ½ acre ponds based on these relationships that led to immediate colonization of the ponds by cricket frogs followed by explosive production of juveniles less than a year later. Our findings suggest that habitat management for this species should specifically manage the shoreline grade and especially the aquatic floating vegetation to maximize population growth and sustenance.