Amphibian Diversity and Morphometric Analysis in the Kadayam Region of the Tirunelveli District, India

This study examines the morphometric and genetic diversity of frog species in the agro ecosystems of Kadayam region part of the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in India. By conducting an amphibian survey in Kadayam, Southern Western Ghats, eight species from three families were documented, with Dicroglossidae showing the highest species representation. Amphibians were sampled from various habitats-forests, water bodies, and cultivated lands between January and March 2017, with notable species Duttaphrynus melanostictus showing a high abundance in human occupied areas. Morphometric analyses were performed on features such as snout-vent length, head length, (SVL–SNOW-VENT LENGTH; HL - HEAD LENGTH; HW-HEAD WIDTH; LHU–LENGTH OF THE HUMERUS; FOL-FOREARM LENGTH; THL-THIGH LENGTH; TL-TIBIA LENGTH; IOD-INTERORBITAL DIAMETER; IND-INTER NOSTRIL DISTANCE; ED-EYE DIAMETER; END–EYE–NOSTRIL DISTANCE; and FL -FOOT LENGTH) and limb proportions across species, correlating these to understand habitat adaptations. Results indicated high endemism and diversity within frog populations of the Western Ghats, highlighting conservation needs due to threats like habitat modification and pollution. The high positive correlations among primary body dimensions (such as SVL, head length, and total length) suggest that these species exhibit proportional growth in these features, a common trait in morphometric analyses. This study underscores the significance of morphometric approaches in amphibian biodiversity assessments in ecologically sensitive regions.