Myristica Swamp Treefrog
Aa rare arboreal species endemic to the Western Ghats named Myristica Swamp Treefrog has been recorded for the first time north of the Shencottah gap in Vazhachal Reserve Forest in Thrissur.
About Myristica Swamp Treefrog
The Myristica Swamp Treefrog was first spotted in 2013 in the Myristica swamps of Arippa, near the Kulathupuzha Reserve Forest, in the western foothills of Agasthyamalai, in Kollam district.
Scientific Name: Mercurana myristicapalustris
Unique Breeding Behaviour:
- These frogs are rare and elusive for the reason that they are arboreal and active only for a few weeks during their breeding season.
- During this season, there is a large aggregation of males that descend from the high canopy of the trees.
- The breeding season, unlike for other frogs, starts in the pre-monsoon season (May) and ends before the monsoon becomes fully active in June.
- Before the end of the breeding season, the female frogs along with their male counterparts descend on the forest floor. The female digs the mud and lays eggs in shallow burrows in mud.
- After breeding and egg-laying, they retreat back to the high canopies of the tree and remain elusive till next breeding season.
About Myristica Swamps
· Myristica swamps are the freshwater swamp forest predominantly composed of species of Myristica.
· These are found in three localities in India.
· Myristica swamps have adapted to inundation by way of stilt roots and knee roots.
· Myristica swamps are found in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka State and in the southern parts of Kerala.
· Recently it is found in village Bambarde, in Maharashtra's Sindhudurga district.
Significance of Myristica Swamps:
- Research & Study:Myristica swamps are regarded as a living museum of the evolution and persistence of the plant diversity in humid tropical forests. They are being identified as biodiversity ‘hotspots’, and extensively used for both ecological and commercial purposes. Myristica swamps hold high significance due to their remote areas of existence that possess large species diversity and richness.
- Check Vagaries of Extreme Events:Myristica swamps are unique tropical ecosystems that do not exist outside the equatorial belt. These shaded, flooded forests bounded by streams can attain a great age and serve to protect and purify groundwater for downstream uses.
- Habitat: Myristica swamps are considered an important ecosystem for many species. Most of the swamp plants are stunted, and dependent on the annual rainfall and inundation for their survival.
- Carbon Sequestration:Myristica swamps are very significant as they have been found to have a higher potential to store carbon than nearby non-swamp forests. They function as carbon sinks and can store carbon produced by upland agriculture, forestry, and other land uses.
Present Status of Myristica Swamps:
- Myristica swamps are highly endangered ecosystems, regulating climate, conserving soils as well as providing habitat to endemic species of plants, animals and micro-organisms.
- Myristica swamps have an important role to play in the ecosystem of the Western Ghats. These swamps provide a suitable environment for native plant and animal species.
- Myristica Swamp Forests are considered as the richest of Indian swamp forests in terms of species diversity, and they are a very important eco-region. These swamp forests were also an important focus for the research effort. But the present status of Myristica swamps is highly fragmented, and only small patches of this habitat exist in the Western Ghats.
- The present status of Myristica swamps in India can be described as pitiable. The existing swamps are fragmented with small and scattered patches, existing only as remnants embedded within the clusters of highly managed plantations.