A rapid herpetofaunal assessment in Lower Subansiri and Papum-Pare district, Arunchal Pradesh, India survey report 2020

Abstract

Present study yielded 36 species of herpetofauna, of which amphibians represented by 19 species and reptiles by 17 species. All recorded amphibian species are anuran of which, Amolops marmoratus, A. monticola, Raorchestes sp., Zhangixalus smaragdinus, Theloderma asperum, Ingerana borealis and Fejervarya sp. were commonly observed in Potin. In Lichi species such as Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis, Duttaphrynus melanostictus, Fejervarya sp. were commonly encountered. Species belonging to the genus Liurana were only recorded from Talle WLS. Among the recorded reptiles, snake represented by 11 species and lizards represented by six species. Psammodynastes pulverulentus, Cyrtodactylus sp., Sphenomorphus sp. and Calotes jerdonii were frequently recorded in Potin. Study also recorded rare species of reptiles such as Boiga quincunciata and Pseudocalotes austeniana from Potin and Talle WLS respectively. During the study period, species richness was high in Potin as maximum survey was carried out in Potin than that of Lichi and Talle WLS. Few species recorded in the present study are identified upto generic level or referred to closely related species as systematic study of those species is needed. However, the number of herpetofaunal species in the study region will increase with further study as the present study was carried out for a short period. Besides recorded species of herpetofauna, the present study also documents species that were either conferred to closely related species (e.g., Polypedates cf. himalayanus, Asymblepharus cf. sikimmensis) or their identity remains to be ascertained (e.g., Nanorana sp., Raorchestes sp., Cyrtodactylus sp.). However, the present study was carried out for a short period and it indicates the number of herpetofaunal species in the study region will increase with further systematic study. The record