A KEY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAE OF 30 ANURAN SPECIES FROM INDIA

1. A. Without nostrils; without jaw sheath; spiracle ventral, oral disc with a fold on the lower labium with no keratinized structures and papillae ............................................................. 2 [ MICROHYLIDAE]

B. With nostrils; with jaw sheaths; spiracle sinistral, oral disc with keratinized structures and papillae ............................................................................................................................................................ 4

2. A. One medial vent and a medial spiracle; large lateral eyes with a transparent body ........................................................................................................................................ 3 [ Microhyla]

B. Dorsal side speckled with reddish-brown melanophores; small lateral eyes with a translucent body diffused with many melanophores ......................................................................... Uperodon systoma

3. A. Dorsal side with a diamond marking due to congregation at the centre of the abdomen; caudal fin with melanophores spread uniformly ................................................................. Microhyla berdmorei

B. Dorsum with uniformly spread tiny melanophores; caudal fin with melanophores concentrated at the distal end of the fin .............................................................................. Microhyla nilphamariensis

4. A. Oral disc multi-lobed and without labial tooth rows; dorsal fin originating posterior to body tail junction ...................................................................................................... Nyctibatrachus cf. poocha

B. Oral disc either emarginated or not emarginated with labial tooth rows .......................................... 5

5. A. Eyes lateral or near lateral; mouth anteroventral; origin of ventral fin anterior to body tail junction. ............................................................................................................................................................ 6

B. Eyes dorsal or dorsolateral; mouth ventral or anteroventral; origin of tail at body-tail junction or posterior to it ...................................................................................................................................... 9

6. A. Eyes near lateral; vent tube opening medial; both fins of equal height; marginal papillae on oral disc with wide dorsal gap; single row of marginal papillae; upper jaw sheath broadly rounded with a long trapezoidal lateral process ................................................................................... Hyla annectans

B. Eyes lateral; vent tube opening dextral; ventral fin taller than dorsal; marginal papillae on oral disc with wide dorsal gap and narrow ventral gap; marginal papillae in single row on anterior labium and double row on posterior labium; jaw sheath arch-shaped ........................................... 7 [ Polypedates]

7. A. Opening of nostril circular or oval with elevated or depressed rim; pre-narial arena with an arched medial ridge and many secondary lateral papillae or a simple arched medial ridge; infralabial papillae pointed with rugose margin; lingual papillae smooth ........................ Polypedates maculatus

B. Opening of nostril reniform with elevated rim; pre-narial arena with arched medial ridge and many secondary lateral papillae; infralabial papillae dilated; lingual papillae pustulated ........................... 8

8. A. two lingual papillae; LTRF A5(4)(1)/P3(1) ....................................... Polypedates cf. megacephalus

B. Four lingual papillae; A4(3)/P3 ...................................................................... Polypedates teraiensis

9. A. Eyes dorsal placed back on dorsum; oral disc large and ventral; tail muscle wide in dorsal view; origin of tail posterior to body-tail junction ..................................................................................... 10

B. Eyes dorsolateral placed on dorsum near anterior end of body; oral disc small to moderate and positioned ventrally or anteroventrally; tail muscle wide or narrow in dorsal view; origin of tail at body-tail junction or posterior to it .................................................................................................. 11

10. A. No cutaneous granular glands on body; no suction organ formed by gastrozymous muscle; vent tube opening medial; LTRF A2/P3(1) ................................................ Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis

B. Cutaneous granular glands on body; suction organ formed by gastrozymous muscle; vent tube opening dextral; LTRF A8(5)/P3(1) ................................................................... Amolops assamensis

11. A. Cutaneous granular glands on body ............................................................................................... 12

B. No cutaneous granular glands on body .......................................................................................... 15

12. A. Large tadpole; supracaudal gland present ................................................................ 13 [ Clinotarsus]

B. Moderate sized tadpole; no supracaudal gland; LTRF A2(1)/P3(1) ........................... 14 [ Hylarana]

13. A. Ocellus on caudal musculature; LTRF A6(4)/P7(1) .......................................... Clinotarsus alticola

B. No ocellus on caudal musculature; LTRF A8(6)/P7(1) ...................................... Clinotarsus curtipes

14. A. Nostrils located midway between eye and snout; internal nares narrowly separated; BRA papillae abundant; straw colored body with few melanophores ....................................... Hylarana flavescens

B. Nostrils located midway between eye and snout; internal nares moderately separated; BRA papillae not abundant; body straw colored but with many melanophores .................................. Hylarana doni

15. A. Vent tube opening medial .............................................................................................................. 16

B. Vent tube opening dextral .............................................................................................................. 19

16. A. Upper jaw sheath broadly rounded with long trapezoidal lateral process; caudal musculature strong with low dorsal and ventral fin ................................................................................... 17 [ BUFONIDAE]

B. Jaw sheath with elongated, thick middle portion and thin lateral processes; caudal musculature strong with low dorsal and ventral fin ............................................................... Indirana cf. beddomii

17. A. Centripetal wall of spiracle totally fused to body wall with distal end free; broadly rounded tail. 18

B. Centripetal wall of spiracle partly formed; rounded tail ........................ Duttaphrynus melanostictus

18. A. Shape of narial opening oval or round; both caudal fins of equal height; jaw sheath moderately keratinized; median ridge bifid; BRA pustules few .................................. Duttaphrynus himalayanus

B. Shape of narial opening reniform; dorsal fin taller; jaw sheath weakly keratinized; median ridge trifid; no BRA pustules ................................................................................................ Bufotes latastii

19. A. External naso-lacrimal groove present ........................................................................................... 20

B. No external naso-lacrimal groove .................................................................................................. 21

20. A. Narial opening elevated; nostrils close to eye; oral disc with wide dorsal gap and narrow ventral gap; few BRA and BFA pustules; LTRF A5(4)/A3(1) ............................... Zhangixalus smaragdinus

B. Nostrils midway between eye and snout; oral disc with wide dorsal gap; abundant BRA and numerous BFA pustules; LTRF A6(4)/3(1) .................................... Rhacophorus pseudomalabaricus

21. A. Oral disc located ventrally ............................................................................................................. 22

B. Oral disc located anteroventrally .................................................................................................... 24

22. A. Nostril opening oval or round; both fins of equal height; marginal papillae on oral disc with narrow dorsal and ventral gaps; submarginal papillae on both labia; upper jaw sheath inverted ‘V’ shaped with a medial protrusion; no pre-narial medial ridge; LTRF A5(4)/P6(6) ........ Leptobrachium smithi

B. Nostril opening reniform; marginal papillae on oral disc with a wide gap on the upper labium; submarginal papillae at lateral commissures and lower labium of oral disc; jaw sheaths strongly keratinized; upper jaw sheath arch shaped ............................................................................. 23 [ Paa]

23. A. Snout broadly rounded; widest part of body at middle of abdomen; broadly rounded tail tip; simple arched pre-medial ridge; LTRF A6(4)/P3(1) ...................................................................... Paa vicina

B. Snout rounded; widest part of body at the back of abdomen; rounded tail tip; single Spre-medial ridge; LTRF 5(4)/3(1) ........................................................................................................ Paa minica

24. A. Nostril opening depressed; marginal papillae uniseriate on upper labium and biseriate on lower labium; shape of upper jaw sheath inverted ‘V’ shaped with a medial protrusion ....... 25 [ Chirixalus]

B. Opening of the nostril elevated ...................................................................................................... 26

25. A. Infra-labial papillae dilated ............................................................................ Chirixalus dudwaensis

B. Infra-labial papillae pointed .................................................................................... Chirixalus simus

26. A. Infra-labial papillae dilated ............................................................................................................ 27

B. Infra-labial papillae shape bifurcated or compressed ............................................... 28 [ Minervarya]

27. A. Widest part of body is at the back of abdomen; no submarginal papillae; jaw sheath strongly keratinized; jaw sheath arch-shaped with medial protrusion; LTRF A1/P2. Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis

B. Widest part of body at the middle of abdomen; submarginal papillae at lateral commissures of oral disc; jaw sheath weakly keratinized; jaw sheath arch-shaped with medial protrusion; LTRF A2(1)/P3 ........................................................................................................................ Sphaerotheca breviceps

28. A. Nostril midway between eye and snout; tail tip pointed; submarginal papillae on lateral commissures of oral disc; jaw sheath weakly keratinized; upper jaw sheath broadly rounded with a short lateral process and a medial protrusion; LTRF A2(1)/P3(1); internal nares narrowly separated; BRA pustules abundant; two lingual papillae ....................................................... Minervarya pierrei

B. Nostril close to eye ......................................................................................................................... 29

29. A. Nostril close to eye; tail tip pointed; submarginal papillae on lateral commissures of oral disc; jaw sheath weakly keratinized; upper jaw sheath arch-shaped with medial protrusion; LTRF A2(1)/P3; internal nares widely separated; BRA pustules few; two lingual papillae ........... Minervarya kalinga

B. Nostril close to eye; tail tip rounded; submarginal papillae on lateral commissures of oral disc; jaw sheath keratinization moderate; upper jaw sheath arch-shaped with medial protrusion; LTRF A2(1)/P3; internal nares moderately separated; BRA pustules abundant; four lingual papillae ........... ............................................................................................................................. Minervarya sengupti