Purple Frog

Why is it in News?

Purple Frog is soon to be honored as Kerala’s state frog.

About the Species:

It is a rheophilic frog i.e. it survives in running water. It is endemic to the Western Ghats.
It has been evolving independently for around 100 million years. Hence, it is an excellent example of Living Fossils.
It is listed as ‘Endangered’ as per the IUCN Red List.
It is also known as Maveli Frog or Pignose Frog.
It is threatened due to deforestation from expanding cultivation, in addition to consumption and harvesting by local communities.
Earlier they were confined only to Palghat Gap of Western Ghats, but now is seen all across the Western Ghats.

Palghat Gap:

Palakkad Gap or Palghat gap is a mountainous gap present in between the Nilgiri hills and the Anaimalai Hills of Southern Hill Complex.
Shenkota gap is present in the Cardamom Hills.
Nilgiri, Anaimalai, Palani Hills and Cardamom Hills are collectively called as the ‘Southern Hill Complex”.
Southern Hill Complex is neither a part of the Western Ghats nor a part of the Eastern gGhats.

Source: TH, G. C. Leong