Common Name: Bhupathy’s Purple Frog
Scientific Name: Nasikabatrachus bhupathi
Family: Nasikabatrachidae
Location: India
Size: 2 inches (50.8 mm)
There used to be just one species of Purple Frog until genetic tests showed there was another species: the Bhupathy’s Purple Frog. Some of the other differences between the two species are their calls and breeding seasons. Bhupathy’s Purple Frog breeds just before the northeast monsoons (November and December) while the Purple Frog breeds during the southwest monsoon.
The Bhupathy’s Purple Frog spends most of their life underground. They rarely come to the surface and its generally only to mate. The frogs use seasonal streams created by pre-monsoon rain as a place to lay their eggs. The frog is named after Dr. Bhupathy Subramaniam, a famous herpetologist who died accidentally from a fall.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Bhupathy’s Purple Frog as Critically Endangered with Extinction. They are found only in one small area of India. Major threats to the frog include water abstraction, agriculture pollution, and climate change.