Wednesday 5 December 2007

A Sri Lanka Bullfrog in my garden

Sri Lanka Bullfrog
I found a Sri Lanka Bullfrog aka. Sri Lanka Painted Frog Kaloula taprobanica, while I clearing a garbage bin, outside my Kitchen on 23 November, 2007. It was hiding underneath the bin. And with its distinctive colour pattern, it caught my attention straightaway. This was my first encounter with this little frog. But I knew what it was the very moment I saw it. This frog has an interesting life-cycle, and is known to live a life of underground existence during the dry times, at times being found in 10-12 feet below, at times! It surfaces out during the wetter times for breeding.

The species etymology of this frog alludes to Taprobane, a pre-Christian era name for the island of Sri Lanka. It was coined by Onesicritus, companion of Alexander the Great's campaigns in northwestern India after the name that existed for Sri Lanka: Tambapanni. It means "copper-hued palms". That was how the ancient settlers from Northern India. These settlers colonised Lanka in the 6th century B.C., and according to the Mahavamsa, the Great Chronical. This was named like because the soil in the place of their landfall turned the palms of the settlers copper coloured after they rested on it following landfall.

The island of Sri Lanka is referred as Tamrapanni in the 3rd century B.C rock edicts of Emperor Ashoka in North India. Therefore, Tamrapanni is another variant of the name, Tambapanni. While leading a SLWCS trip with some US visitors in 2004, I have been to this general area—a site called Kudremalai—inside the Wilpattu National Park (131,693 ha). The sand was strikingly reddish-hued. Here' a photo of that soil with a nice Fan-throated Lizard (Sitana ponticeriana) to complement it.

Fan-throated Lizard in Kudiramale, Wilpattu National Park

11 comments:

Stuart Price said...

You have some interesting animals in your garden! All I can see from my apartment balcony today is snow snow snow and crows...........

Amila Salgado said...

Yes, the stuff around here are not bad. I get a lot of pleasant distractions at work, which isn't too bad. Crows in snow must be also nice sight! Awaiting for some Murali magic soon! Now that is sometime for you to do; watch the cricket!

dguzman said...

Hello! Thanks for visiting my birding blog, and what a beautiful blog you have! Like the commenter above, we have snow too (Central Pennsylvania, USA). I did see a red-tailed hawk this morning while driving to work, though. I love raptors!

I am looking forward to exploring your blog.

ST said...

Gallicissa- if you want to link me feel free. You have a nice blog.

Susan Gets Native said...

What a lovely frog! It looks like it was painted with pink lipstick!

Amila Salgado said...

Indeed! Good to hear from you!

Carmo said...

I have added you as a link on my blog. You see some wonderful birds where you are...incredible!! thanks for stopping by

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks Carmo!
I quite enjoy reading your blog! Enjoy the snow!

Veery said...

We just came across your blog and enjoy it very much. We look forward to reading more about Sri Lanka!

good birding to you!

Amila Salgado said...

Thanks! Good to hear from you.
I like your Birdfreak blog too!

Amila Salgado said...

dguzman & st: I noticed your comments only today. Hence the delay in posting them!

dguzman: Thanks a lot for your nice comments! I enjoy reading your blog too. I have linked to it. It is interesting to see what birders in the country with most birders in the world are upto in the opposite side of the world! I like your Red-tailed Hawk - reptors fascinate me too!

st- Thanks! I have already linked to you! I enjoy your natural history picutres and posts!

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