Zoological Survey of India Records New Frog Species

Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India record a new species of frog in Nagaland. The finding is relevant now because the species is identified as Nagaland Cascade Frog, with the scientific name Amolops kamal.

Nagaland Cascade Frog:

Dimension	Key Details
Common Name	The common name of the species is Nagaland Cascade Frog.
Scientific Name	The scientific name of the species is Amolops kamal.
Taxonomic Classification	The species belongs to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Amphibia, Order Anura, and Family Ranidae.
Habitat	The frog inhabits hill-stream ecosystems.
Publication	The findings have been published in the journal Records of the Zoological Survey of India.
Nomenclature	The species has been named Amolops kamal in honour of Kamal Choudhury, who was the teacher and mentor of lead author Bhaskar Saikia.
Adaptation	The species is highly adapted to fast-flowing hill streams and waterfalls.
Key Features	The species has strong limbs, adhesive toe pads for gripping wet rocks, and extensive foot webbing.
Taxonomic Confirmation	Scientists have confirmed the distinct status of the species through integrative taxonomic analysis, including molecular phylogenetic studies.
Evolutionary Lineage	Amolops kamal represents a unique evolutionary lineage within the Amolops indoburmanensis species complex.
Cryptic Species Indication	Studies suggest that Amolops indoburmanensis, previously considered a single widespread species, may comprise several cryptic species distributed across Northeast India and neighbouring regions.
Global Amolops Diversity	The Asian genus Amolops contains 90 recognized species worldwide.
Indian Amolops Diversity	India reports 20 species of the genus Amolops.
Indian Amolops Groups	Indian Amolops are mainly grouped under Amolops marmoratus, Amolops monticola, and Amolops viridimaculatus, with the marmoratus group being the most diverse.
Research Relevance	The discovery contributes to taxonomic and conservation research.