Common Name: Wayanad Dancing Frog, Wayanad Torrent Frog, Black Torrent Frog, Malabar Tropical Frog
Scientific Name: Micrixalus saxicola
Family: Micrixalidae – Dancing Frog family
Location: India
Female Size: 1.3 inches (32 mm)
Male Size: 0.94 inches (24 mm)
The Wayanad Dancing Frog lives by fast, rocky streams surrounded by evergreen rain forests in the Western Ghat mountain range of India.
During the breeding season, the male frogs create choruses along the rocks in the streams. The male frogs often fight by kicking each other. Besides singing to attract a mate, the male frogs also foot flagging. This is where the frog stretches out its hind legs. Once the female frog arrives and selects a mate, the male frog grasps her from behind and around the armpits in amplexus. Then, the female frog carries the male frog on her back to a suitable spot. The spot is either a small patch of either sand, pebbles, or stones at the bottom of the stream. There, the female frog lays her eggs and the male frog fertilizes them. Then, the female frog covers up the eggs and both parents leave and provide no parental care.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assesses the Wayanad Dancing Frog as Least Concern for Extinction. The frog has a wide range and a presumed large population. The major threat to the species is clear cutting of their habitat.