New frog species named ‘Indirana Salelkari’ discovered in Goa

A new species of frog named INDIRANA SALELKARI is discovered in the Tanshikar Spice Farm at Netravali (Neturlim) in the town of Sanguem Taluk by Wildlife researchers in Netravali forest sanctuary in Southern Goa.

This new species frog, Indirana Salelkari, and named after state ranger forest officer Prakash Salelkar.

Characteristics of Frog:

• This frog is morphologically and genetically different from other species of the genus.
• Males measure around 27.7mm in length while females measure slightly larger at 30.2mm in length.
• It is brown in coloration with a light colored belly.
• It has a black stripe that begins at its nose and ends behind its tympanum.
• It lives in riparian habitats with sub adults found under leaf litter.
• This frog species has a combination of morphological traits such as a longer rather than a wider head, narrow, deep buccal cavity, vomerine teeth placed in acute closeness to each other.
• Its  first finger which is longer or equal to second, oval choanae, distinct canthus rostralis, double outer pal tubercles, longer inner metatarsal tubercle, moderate webbing, finger and toe discs with crescentic deep marginal grooves restricted to the anterior side of the discs.
• Indirana salelkari is the 12th species of the monogeneric family Ranixalidae.
• This makes the total number of more than 32 plus amphibians discovered so far from Goa.
• This species of frog differs from the sister taxa Indirana Chiravasi in placement as well as structure of vomerine teeth and choanae.