Abhijit Das

Wildlife Institute of India | WII · Endangered Species Management Department

We describe a new species of rhacophorid frog of the genus Gracixalus from northeast India based on molecular, morphological and acoustic evidence. The new species, formally described herein as Gracixalus patkaiensis sp. nov. , is morphologically distinct from other congeners by a suite of morphological characters such as snout-vent length 23.6–26....

We report Bungarus suzhenae Chen, Shi, Vogel, Ding & Shi, 2021 and Ovophis zayuensis (Jiang, 1977) for the first time from India. Specimens of B. suzhenae and O. zayuensis were collected during our field surveys in north (Arunachal Pradesh) and south (Nagaland-Manipur border) of the river Brahmaputra. Species identity was supported by partial cytoc...

We describe six new species of Cyrtodactylus from the khasiensis group using morphological characteristics, supported by the molecular analyses based on the mitochondrial ND2 gene. We used four different molecular species delimitation analyses that recovered six distinct undescribed lineages distributed across four states in northeastern India. Our...

The spatial movement pattern is a poorly known aspect of amphibian ecology, especially in the Indian Himalayan region. Thus, we studied the home range and movement of Nanorana vicina, an obligate stream frog endemic to the Western Himalayas. We radio-tagged 16 individuals and tracked their movement for an average of 63 days in two streams of Binog...

We present a herpetofauna inventory of the Koderma and Hazaribagh districts located in Jharkhand state, India. Based in the Chotanagpur ecoregion, the Koderma and Hazaribagh plateaus are represented by moderately sloped hillocks and numerous seasonal streams. These features provide excellent amphibian and reptile microhabitats, yet this region rema...

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is known for its biodiversity, yet it faces substantial threats from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Despite the ecological importance of the IHR, herpetofaunal studies, especially in the eastern Himalayan State of Sikkim, remain limited. We herein address aspects of natural history of a fossorial snak...

Assessment of Amphibians at a large scale is a necessary first step towards conserving the most threatened vertebrate class. Overcoming the challenges of accessibility, manpower, safety and synchronisation, we conduct the first passive acoustic monitoring exercise in Namdapha tiger reserve, India, to estimate the amphibian species richness. We use...

The spatial movement pattern is a poorly known aspect of amphibian ecology, especially in the Indian Himalayan region. Thus, we studied the home range and movement of Nanorana vicina, an obligate stream frog endemic to the Western Himalayas. We radio-tagged 16 individuals and tracked their movement for an average of 63 days in two streams of Binog...

Growth of a wild king cobra juvenile from the Western Himalayas. Individual was identified based on unique band markings, front-hood patterns and undivided sub-caudal scales

We conducted a herpetofaunal survey along a 17 km stretch of railway track passing through the Kali Tiger Reserve in Karnataka State. Over a period of 13 days, we documented 48 species, representing around 43% of the known herpetofaunal diversity of the northern Western Ghats. Among the recorded diversity, 21 species are endemic and one additional...

Owing to the harsh terrain, few biodiversity surveys have been carried out in the Pan-Himalaya Region. Among the understudied taxa from this region, Jerdon’s forest lizard, Calotes jerdoni , is believed to have a wide distribution, from northeast India to southwestern China. However, given the heterogeneous environment across its range and the lack...

The Critically Endangered Cantor's giant softshell turtle Pelochelys cantorii is a freshwater turtle found in South and Southeast Asia. Its population is declining because of habitat destruction and alteration, and hunting for its meat. Data on the species’ ecology, behaviour, population size, distribution and threats are limited, and previous surv...

We describe a new species of ranid frog of the genus Nidirana from northeast India based on morphological, molecular and acoustic evidence. The new species is phenotypically distinct from its congeners by a combination of morphological characters: body robust with SVL 46.5-59.1 mm (n= 3) in adult males and SVL 60.6-66.0 mm (n= 2) in adult females;...

The Indian rock pythons (Python molurus) are classifed as a near-threatened snake species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN); they are native to the Indian subcontinent and have experienced population declines caused primarily by poaching and habitat loss. We hand-captured the 14 rock pythons f...

A popular article on the herpetofauna exploration in Adi Hills along the historical route of "Abor expedition" by Britishers during the early nineteenth century.

The Himalayan foothills and associated environment are well-known for driving the rapid diversification of many species and the formation of biodiversity hotspots. The effects of environmental change since the Miocene have accelerated species diversification, and hence are useful for studying population genetic structure, and evolutionary relations...

Turtles and Tortoises of Assam and their Conservation issues

The analyses of molecular genetic data (mtDNA markers 16S, ND4, CYTB, and the nuclear marker c-mos) provided evidence that the Asian cat snake taxa Boiga multomaculata and B. ochracea actually represent a single species. They form mixed clades of low intraclade genetic differentiation. This evidence for conspecificy is supported by the lack of diff...

This article reports for the first time three seperate observations of mating and dichromatism in the Himalayan Pit Viper (Gloydius himalayanus)

Incubation temperature in nests of oviparous reptiles affects reproductive success indicators, including hatching time and success, offspring size, fitness, and behaviour. The female king cobra builds an above ground nest to incubate and protect its eggs. However, it is not clear how thermal regimes inside king cobra nests respond to external envir...

A long-term monitoring programme to understand the impact of climate change on terrestrial herpetofauna of India. Hamadryad, in press. ABSTRACT. Anthropogenic climate change is likely to have wide ranging impacts on all aspects of life on earth. Among the many challenges posed by climate change, of particular importance to biologists is its impact...

Description of an unique breeding behaviour of Duttaphrynus himalayanus from Sikkim.

We studied the breeding and nesting behaviour of the endemic terai tree frog, Polypedates taeniatus in Uttar Pradesh state of India. We describe amplexus, spawning, unique ground nesting behaviour, and larval developmental stages of the species. Comparative reproductive behaviour of foam-nesting rhacophorids from India is also provided. The present...

A comprehensive record of reptiles found in the Moyar River Valley Landscape (MRVL) is presented in this manuscript. The observations did not adhere to standardized survey methods, and are based on opportunistic encounters during our vegetation survey in different habitats of the MRVL between December 2017 and December 2019. A total of 135 live ind...

We studied the morphological and genetic differences within Calotes jerdoni, a widespread species across northeast India. Our results suggest the presence of two distinct species in this region, one being Calotes jerdoni and the other being Calotes medogensis, which we report for the first time from India. We designate a lectotype for Calotes jerdo...

We studied the morphological and genetic differences within Calotes jerdoni, a widespread species across northeast India. Our results suggest the presence of two distinct species in this region, one being Calotes jerdoni and the other being Calotes medogensis, which we report for the first time from India. We designate a lectotype for Calotes jerdo...

We report the deaths of overwintering tadpoles of Nanorana spp. during check dam maintenance events causing localised droughts along the Dhobhighat (Ringali Gad) stream, flowing through the Mussoorie Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India; and discusses the conservation issues and further research required in the scenario.

We present an updated inventory of the reptilian fauna of Dampa Tiger Reserve based on two separate field surveys during March and September 2021. We recorded 33 species of reptiles which is about 27% of the total reptilian diversity recorded from the state. This includes new distribution records for 16 snake species with observations on rare speci...

A long-term monitoring programme to understand the impact of climate change on terrestrial herpetofauna of India. Hamadryad, in press. ABSTRACT. Anthropogenic climate change is likely to have wide ranging impacts on all aspects of life on earth. Among the many challenges posed by climate change, of particular importance to biologists is its impact...

This natural history note describes tail bifurcation and bent tail tip in the overwintering tadpoles of Nanorana minica (Small Paa Frog) from India. Herpetological Review 53(3): 473-474.

Understanding habitat availability and use patterns are essential in developing comprehensive conservation strategies for focal species. Studies on amphibian larval habitat use are limited, especially from modified habitats. We investigated the habitat availability and use patterns of overwintering tadpoles of the Nanorana frog in an anthropogenica...

The global amphibian population decline has been linked to various factors among which overexploitation as food is one of the reasons. Amphibians have been a part of local delicacy in many parts of northeast India including Mizoram. Using a questionnaire survey involving 260 households, we documented that 11 species of anurans belonging to 4 famili...

Background: Most amphibians use a repertoire of acoustic signals to propagate signals in social contexts. The description of these repertoires provides a key towards the understanding of the behaviour of individuals and the evolutionary functions of calls. Here, we assessed the variations in advertisement calls within and between two fossorial symp...

We report the rediscovery of Oligodon melaneus 112 years after its original description and document the third, and only non-type, specimen for the species. The new specimen was found 267 km east of the type locality (Tindharia, West Bengal state) from Assam state, India. We designate a lectotype for the species, and provide an extended description...

Delaying metamorphosis in low-temperature conditions by anuran larvae known as ‘overwintering’ have been poorly studied, especially in terms of habitat ecology and behavioural aspects. The present study investigates some of the ecological aspects of overwintering tadpoles of the genus Nanorana in the Western Himalaya in an anthropogenically modifie...

This species has a restricted distribution (with an extent of occurrence below 120 km2 and an area of occupancy that, based on the extent of grassland habitats, will not exceed 50-70 km2) in Nepal, where it occurs entirely in Shuklaphantah National Park. It is assumed to occur in 2-5 locations, based on prescribed burning to maintain the grassland...

This species is listed as Least Concern because it is relatively widely distributed, its population is presumed stable, is present in several protected areas, and because there are no major widespread threats currently affecting its population.

This species has a restricted distribution in northeast India and southern Bhutan (extent of occurrence (EOO) = 16,384 km2) and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat due to expansion of urban areas, tourism, and tea plantations. The number of locations cannot be determined as only two out of five localities are being...

This species is listed as Least Concern because it has a wide distribution and there are no known major threats currently affecting its population. However, taxonomic studies of the Nepalese population are required, if this population proves to be a different species, this assessment should be revised.

This species has a restricted distribution in northwest India and far western Nepal (extent of occurrence (EOO) = 12,442 km2) and it occurs in more than ten locations, based on the main threats affecting its population. There is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat due to tourism and expansion of urban areas. It is therefore...

This species is known only from a few specimens from the type locality in far western Nepal. There is a highway being constructed that will pass near the locality where this species was recorded and may impact a large portion of its population, potentially driving it to Critically Endangered or Extinct in a short period of time. It is therefore lis...

This species is listed as Least Concern because it has a wide distribution in central and eastern Nepal and in northern and northeast India, and because it is unlikely that the identified threats are affecting the population to a degree that would warrant listing in a threatened category.

Listed as Data Deficient, as although it appears to be widely distributed there is substantial confusion as to whether all of these records truly refer to this species. There are threats to the forests in the distribution and it remains unclear as to whether the species is declining or not.

This species is listed as Least Concern because it has a wide distribution and it is unlikely that any major threat is affecting its population. It may be locally impacted by habitat degradation and intentional killing, but due to the wide distribution, these cannot be considered major threats at present.

We present the first-ever annotated checklist on snakes of the proposed Jawai Community Conservation Reserve of southwestern Rajasthan, India. We opportunistically encountered 26 species of snakes during the year 2015 to 2017 from the study area. We have also collated a distribution synopsis for all the observed species with respect to the Rajastha...

We present the first-ever annotated checklist on snakes of the proposed Jawai Community Conservation Reserve of southwestern Rajasthan, India. We opportunistically encountered 26 species of snakes from the study area during the years 2015 to 2017. We have also collated a distribution synopsis for all the observed species with respect to the state...

Natricine snakes are geographically widespread, species rich (with ~250 extant species) and both morphologically and ecologically diverse. We present a multilocus DNA sequence phylogeny for 249 natricine specimens representing 189 named species, including 69 specimens and 21 species not previously sampled. Our inferred Bayesian and maximum likeliho...

Xenodermidae is a generally poorly known lineage of caenophidian snakes found in South, East and Southeast Asia. We report molecular phylogenetic analyses for a multilocus data set comprising all five currently recognised genera and including new mi-tochondrial and nuclear gene sequence data for the recently described Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai. Our...

Xenodermidae is a generally poorly known lineage of caenophidian snakes found in South, East and Southeast Asia. We report molecular phylogenetic analyses for a multilocus data set comprising all five currently recognised genera and including new mi-tochondrial and nuclear gene sequence data for the recently described Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai. Our...

New IUCN assessment for Python molurus

This compendium contains articles on History of Abor Expedition, birds, Butterflies, Odonates, Herpetofauna and Mammals backed up by stunning photographs of Dhritiman mukherjee.

This species is mainly distributed in the major river systems of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Throughout its range, the species' population has been heavily impacted by illegal collection for meat consumption and for its skin. Given that the area where it occurs coincides with the highe...

Abstract of the conference oral presentation which won the 'Best Oral Presentation Award' instituted by the Student Naturalists Association, Jagiellonian University. Keywords: amphibian, metamorphosis, cold, development, life-history strategy, plasticity, modification

A new species of natricine snake of the genus Rhabdophis is described from Northeast India. Morphologically the new species is similar to Rhabdophis himalayanus but it can be distinguished from it by lacking a nuchal groove and nuchal glands, being relatively smaller, and having a distinct neck, ventral, and subcaudal coloration. In overall colorat...

Blood on the Track: A case of Mugger (Crocodylus palustris) mortality in Jawai, Rajasthan, India

The article describes the first record of interspecific amplexus between a male Himalayan Toad (Duttaphrynus himalayanus) and an adult Himalayan Paa Frog (Nanorana vicina) of unknown sex.

We describe a new species of Stoliczkia from Mizoram, India. Stoliczkia vanhnuailianai sp. nov. is identified as a member of the genus Stoliczkia by distinct scale arrangements on the posterior of the head, and by scales on the body being separated by scaleless skin, and it differs from the two known congeners in body and head scalation. This is on...

Distribution and population status of Mugger Crocodiles from Similipal, Odisha

First distributional record of black-bellied coral snake (Sinomicrurus nigriventer) from Uttarakhand, north India.

The phylogenetic position of Amolops monticola, a cascade frog species known for over 150 years, remains unknown. Yet over the years new taxa have been frequently described in the ambiguously recognised A. monticola species group, based on morphology and presumed phylogenetic affinities. Here we report fresh collections of A. monticola from the Ind...

We review the historical and current distribution for Cantor's giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii) in India. We report 13 new records from Kerala State. Based on our intensive survey in Kasaragod District, we report a potential breeding population from this region.

Freshwater Turtles of Ganga River

Taxonomic and Distribution information of Rat Snakes of Northeast India

The book describes and depicts various wildlife friendly mitigation measures and structures needed during linear infrastructure development.

A photographic guide to the Reptiles of Indian Subcontinent

Diversity and Distribution of herpetofaunal Species along Ganges River Basin, India.

The gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a large piscivorous crocodilian, once abundant across N. India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Gharial have been extirpated except for a few populations in India and Nepal. Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS), on the Indo-Nepal border in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, contains one of the...

Microhyla ornata species complex

Amphibians and Reptiles of Northeast india