Avrajjal Ghosh

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Former PhD student at National Institute of Science Education and Research

The evolution of thermoreception in animals, particularly that of infrared (IR)-sensing pits in boas, pythons and pit vipers, is a fascinating area of sensory ecology. While numerous studies have focused on the molecular mechanisms of IR sensing in snakes, the broader ecological and evolutionary significance remains less explored. In this study, we...

The genus Tereturus is a small and poorly studied group of uropeltid snakes, known from only a few localities in the Western Ghats of southwest India. Recent taxonomic reviews as well as phylogenetic reconstructions have suggested the presence of cryptic diversity within Teretrurus. Here, based on additional collections from previously unsampled re...

The Western Ghats‐Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot is home to three endemic Lygosomine (Reptilia, Scincidae) skink genera— Kaestlea , Ristella and Lankascincus . Phylogenetic reconstructions in the past have suggested a sister relationship between the Western Ghats endemic Ristella and the Sri Lankan endemic Lankascincus , while the placement of Kaes...

We describe a new species of Asian gracile skink from the dry leeward slopes of the Nilgiri hills, Tamil Nadu state, India which forms a part of the eastern, rain shadow escarpment of the Western Ghats in peninsular India. The new species, Subdoluseps nilgiriensis sp. nov., is characterized by: slender, small-sized body (47–67 mm); sandy brown abov...

New distribution points add to our knowledge of species distribution patterns and can have conservation implications for threatened species. In this note, we report an additional distribution point for the rare anuran species—Melanobatrachus indicus and Mysticellus franki—from Nelliyampathy in the southern Western Ghats, the latter of which is reco...

The aquatic frog genus 'Euphlyctis' is now considered under two separate genera-Euphlyctis Fitzinger and Phrynoderma Fitzinger, with four valid species in each genus, respectively. The current distribution range of the genus Phrynoderma is restricted to peninsular India and Bangladesh, with a probability of availability in Sri Lanka. The genus Euph...

This species is assessed as Vulnerable because of a population decline, suspected to be more than 30% over the last three generations, inferred from shrinkage in distribution, and extensive marshland habitat destruction and degradation.

It is listed as Least Concern because, although it is seldom recorded, it has a relatively wide distribution, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

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 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.

This species has a relatively wide distribution in Nepal and from a single locality in northeastern India (extent of occurrence (EOO) = 25,445 km2). It occurs in six locations, based on the main threat affecting it. There is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat due to dam and road construction, agricultural activities, and ur...

The Karaavali skittering frog, Euphlyctis karaavali was described in 2016 from the western coastal plains of Karnataka, India with the IUCN Red list conservation status as ‘Endangered’. In the present account, species distribution boundaries has been re-defined based on the field sampling and museum collections. On account of the present studies, I...

The skittering frog genus Euphlyctis is known to have a distribution range from Arabian Peninsula to Bangladesh through India and Sri Lanka. Although species descriptions were initiated about two centuries ago in the genus with a small number of species described, taxonomic identities and genetic information for many species are still incomplete /...

This is a rare species that is only occasionally collected. However, it covers a wide geographic range from Nepal to Yunnan province in China, including Bhutan and northern Myanmar. Although it is likely used by people, due to its apparent rarity compared with other members of this genus, levels of exploitation are likely to below, and threats to i...

Amphibians in terms of their predatory behaviour depend mainly upon the ambush technique. Other than predation, amphibians have also been recorded to scavenge to acquire food resources. This is an opportunistic observation of predatory behaviour of an amphibian species (Euphlyctis sp.) on the foam nest of another species (Polypedates sp.). The beha...

Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted in the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of two years, to assess species richness in this landscape. Sixty-four species of reptiles from 15 families and 31 species of amphibians from nine families were recorded. Eight species of reptiles and five species of amphibians are...