A frog that builds nest for its kids.NEST building by leaf folding is a rare behaviour in amphibians amphibians members of the animal class Amphibia. Includes frogs, toads, newts, salamanders and cecilians all capable of living on land or in water. like frogs and toads. A Delhi University researcher has discovered the specialised nestbuilding capabilities of an Indian tree frog tree frog, name for any of the small tree- or shrub-inhabiting frogs of the family Hylidae, characterized by an adhesive disk on the tip of each of the clawlike toes. Rhacophorus lateralis Rhacophorus lateralis is a species of frog in the Rhacophoridae family. It is endemic to India. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, intermittent freshwater marshes, and plantations . It is threatened by habitat loss. in its natural habitat at Kalpetta in Kerala's Wayanad district  This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling.You can assist by [ editing it] now. . The nesting method of this rare frog species is unique -- a purse- like nest is made by folding a leaf around the egg mass ( embryos and translucent foam) by the female after it lays eggs. This is to prevent their desiccation des·ic·ca·tion n. The process of being desiccated. des  ic·ca in sunlight.
Rhacophorus lateralis is a small sized tree frog, bright green or light reddishgreen dorsal colour. Very little is known about this species as it was rediscovered after a gap of over 100 years in the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka. " It is an endangered species endangered species, any plant or animal species whose ability to survive and reproduce has been jeopardized by human activities. In 1999 the U.S. government, in accordance with the U.S. , so a better understanding of its breeding biology is critical for its conservation management," said Dr S. D. Biju of the University of Delhi The University of Delhi, (DU)is a university in India. Established in 1922, it is one of the premier universities of the country and is known for its high standards in teaching and research. It offers courses at the Undergraduate and Post Graduate levels in most subjects. , who had rediscovered the species in 2000. " It is an amazing frog with a remarkable ability of folding and rolling the leaf with its hands," pointed out Biju. " The discovery of the nesting behaviour of a rare tree frog from India is only the beginning of unveiling many more mysteries in this group in India. Several new species are being found here, especially in the Western Ghats," he said. The laying of eggs and fertilisation occurs on a single leaf, after which the male leaves the female alone to roll the leaf containing foam and eggs into a purse- like nest. Nest building can be divided into three stages based on the major events and female resting periods. In stage 1, female tugs leaf margins using her forelimbs and fastens their edges with viscous foam. In stage 2, the female descends and sticks the leaf margins using both limbs and holds the folded leaf for one minute. In stage 3, it moves further down towards the distal end, folds the remaining leaf edges right up to the tip, and firmly holds the folded leaf for about two minutes. After nest construction, it female jumps into nearby vegetation from the lower end of the rolled leaf. dineshc.sharma@mailtoday.in Copyright 2009 India Today Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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