Scutiger occidentalis
Species of amphibian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Scutiger occidentalis is a species of toad found in the Western Himalayas of Pakistan (Gilgit Baltistan) and northwestern India (Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh). It has often been treated as a synonym of Scutiger nyingchiensis (by, e.g., IUCN in 2004[1]), but molecular data show that these species are distinct. It is also known as the Ladakh high altitude toad, Ladakh pelobatid toad, western pelobatid toad, or Asian lazy toad.[2][3] It is the most western member of its genus.[3][4]
| Scutiger occidentalis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Megophryidae |
| Genus: | Scutiger |
| Species: | S. occidentalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Scutiger occidentalis Dubois, 1978 | |
Description
A large-sized Scutiger, adult males of S. occidentalis measure 57–70 mm (2.2–2.8 in) and adult females 63–72 mm (2.5–2.8 in) in snout–vent length. The snout is relatively short.[5]
A Gosner stage 25 tadpole measured 8.9 mm (0.4 in) in snout–vent length and 22.5 mm (0.9 in) in total length.[4]
Habitat and conservation
S. occidentalis inhabits high-mountain regions at elevations between 2,680 and 4,300 m (8,790 and 14,110 ft) above sea level. A tadpole was found from a 0.5-metre deep pool under a waterfall.[4]
As of October 2021, S. occidentalis has only been included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as a synonym of S. nyingchiensis,[6] corresponding to the western part of its range.[4] S. nyingchiensis was assessed as a "least-concern species" in 2004.[1]