સામાન્ય રંગીન લઘુ મુખ ગુહાધારી દેડકું

Kaloula taprobanica ,  Painted frog,  family: Microhylidae, subfamily: Microhylinae

સામાન્ય રંગીન લઘુ મુખ  ગુહાધારી દેડકું 

Discovered at Vaso Village near Nadiad, on 3rd October 2011 by Vishal Mistry.

Description
Maximum snouth-vent length: 75 mm, females are slightly larger than males. Colour is dorsally grey to black with an interorbital bar. Dorsolaterally reddish-orange, an orange bar from posterior edge of eye to base of upper arm. Ventral pale yellowish-grey, spotted with brown or black. Males have a dark throat during the mating period.

K. taprobanica is distributed in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka it is fround in the wet and the dry zone up to elevation of 500 m asl.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
K. taprobanica is a fossorial species, but is also a good climber. This species is easier found after heavy rain next to human settlement: in rice fields and in water ponds along roads. Mating begins when the rain starts, and sometimes large aggregation can be found. Males call while swimming in ponds. Eggs float in a single layer on the surface of ponds. The tadpoles are black. This species is nocturnal. K. taprobanica feeds on a large variety of insects. De Silva (1995) reported feeding K. taprobanica with termites in capivity. The author has fed K. taprobanica with greater flies.

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

Local pesticides, fertilizers, and pollutants
Long-distance pesticides, toxins, and pollutants