Morphology, natural history and molecular identification of tadpoles of three endemic frog species of Nyctibatrachus Boulenger, 1882 (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae) from Central Western Ghats, India

Western Ghats of India is known for its high amphibian diversity, but very little is known about their tadpoles. Here, for the first time, we describe tadpoles of three species of an endemic genus, Nyctibatrachus, namely N. kempholeyensis, N. jog and N. kumbara using morphology and molecular techniques. Tadpoles were found in the streams and Myristica swamps of evergreen forests of central Western Ghats. They have a robust body, complete marginal papillae and lack keratodonts. The morphology indicates that these tadpoles are adapted to lotic habitats. In recent years, many of the streams these tadpoles inhabit have been diverted for agriculture and areca plantations. The descriptions of these tadpoles bear relevance for their conservation and can help in understanding amphibian larval ecology.