Description
This is a small, slender toad that ranges in length from 28-32 mm. Its first finger is much shorter than the second, and its toes are almost fully webbed (Daniel 2002). It has a short snout, and moderately long hind limbs (Chanda 2002). Adults are dorsally black with yellow spots and their bellies are brick red with yellow spots. Juveniles lack the yellow spots, and dorsally are marbled with olive. The anterior half of the skin of the back is finely granular (Daniel 2002).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: India

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

This species is found in India, specifically the regions of Karnataka, S. Kanara, Kodagu, and Neria (Daniel 2002). They are generally found in and around hill streams (Chanda 2002).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Tadpoles are short tailed, black and stocky. They tend to cling to slimy rocks and are well adapted for life in hill torrents because of their suction mouth.

References

Chanda, S.K. (2002). Handbook: Indian Amphibians. Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.

Daniel, J. C. (2002). The Book of Indian Reptiles and Amphibians. Bombay National History Society, Delhi.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2007 Ghatophryne ornata: Black Torrent Toad <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/21> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Feb 5, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 5 Feb 2025.

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