Common Name: Kirthisinghe’s Rock Frog, Marbled Streamlined Frog
Scientific Name: Nannophrys marmorata
Family: Dicroglossidae – Forked Tongue Family
Location: Sri Lanka
Female Size: 1.8 inches (45.1 mm)
Male Size: 1.4 inches (35.4 mm)
The Kirthisighe’s Rock Frog lives in the streams and moist grassy areas of the eastern Knuckle Mountain range. The area has a short wet season and a long dry season. To overcome this obstacle, the Kirthisghe’s Rock Frog hide in rock crevices and under boulders to avoid drying out. They come out at night once its cooler to hunt for food.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Kirthisinghe’s Rock Frog as Endangered with Extinction. The frog lives in a small area on the mountain that is threatened by agricultural activities even though its in a protected area. Between clearing out the forest to make room for tea and cardamom plantations and the toxic pesticides that are being sprayed in the area, the frog doesn’t have a lot going for it. Additionally, climate change is having a negative effect on the frog. Rainfall is decreasing across the island and frogs need to water to survive.