Tree Diversity, Biomass and Carbon Stock in Quartz Mined Area of Bilikal Hillock, hunasaekatte, Bhadravathi, Karnataka, South India

To learn about the abandoned mined area tree diversity, aboveground biomass and carbon stock a study was conducted in quartz mined Bilikal hillock area which is geographically adjacent to Umbalebylu 8 km to Bhadra wildlife sanctuary and 10 km of Kuvempu University. In the present study 0.14ha (350 m×4m) transect, we recorded 1527 individuals comprising 22 families among them Papilionaceae with 6 genera and 7 species, Combretaceae with 2 genera and 4 species followed by Rubiaceae with 3 genera and 3 species and Apocynaceae with 2 genera and 3 species. Based on girth class assessment nearly 1564 individuals comprising 1-10 cm had 559 individuals, the basal area was more within the girth class of 40-50 cm. But aboveground biomass and carbon stock were highest within the girth class of 20-30 cm. varying with species structure and girth class were a disturbed forest patch, the species composition needs management and restoration to retain the biodiversity intact to provide a niche for other co-species.

Two new species of amphibian nematodes from Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India

Two new species namely, Cosmocercoides karnatakaensis sp.nov. and Narsingiella clinotarsi sp.nov. from amphibian hosts from Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats are described. Cosmocercoides karnatakaensis sp. nov. is characterized by males with small body length, long spicules, small gubernaculum, minute somatic papillae reaching up to esophagus, rosette complex caudal papillae as 8:5:12 pairs and simple caudal papillae as 3:0:0 pairs ; females with small body length, long tail, posteriorly situated vulva and oviparous. Narsingiella clinotarsi sp. nov. is characterized by male having long esophagus, two unequal spicules with trilobed shaft, small gubernaculum and 14 pairs of caudal papillae as 6:1:7 pattern and female having long esophagus, short conical tail and vulva situated at midbody. Both the genera are recorded for the first time from Western Ghats. Key to the species of Cosmocercoides is provided.

A new species of Nyctibatrachus Boulenger (Amphibia: Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) from the surroundings of Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, India

A new species of Indian nyctibatrachid frog, Nyctibatrachus dattatreyaensis sp. nov. (Amphibia: Anura), is described from the montane Shola forests of Dattatreya Peeta, Bhadra Wildlife sanctuary, Karnataka, southwestern India, on the basis of unique combination of characters: head wider than long; skin on the dorsum highly wrinkled with transverse corrugated folds; three discontinuous longitudinal folds, one dorsolaterally and two laterally; webbing on toes medium (3/ 4 th ); two yellowish bands on the dorsolateral area, prominent from sub-adult to adult stage; femoral glands present. The largest specimen in the type series has a snout-vent length of 41.0 mm. A revised key to the species of Nyctibatrachus is provided.