HYDERABAD: As many as 98 species of reptiles and amphibians, collectively called herpetofauna, are found in the State, three of them being endemic, reports a recently published research paper in the Journal, Threatened Taxa.
The research which is the first documentation of herpetofauna found in the State has been authored by Dr C Srinivasulu, an Associate Professor of Zoology in Osmania University along with his PhD student, Dr G Chethan Kumar.
Among the 98 species, there are 16 frogs and toads, 1 crocodile, 6 turtles and tortoises, 35 lizards and 40 species of snakes which are found in Telangana, said Dr Srinivasulu who also heads the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Studies at OU. Three kinds of lizards, namely, Hemidactylus flavicaudus, Hemidactylus xericolus and Hemidactylus aemulus are endemic to the State, he said.
“Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture fields, dumping of industrial wastes in water bodies, encroachment, and conversion of water bodies into human settlements are the reasons for the drastic decline in the populations of amphibians in the State,” he explained, adding that there is a greater need for conducting research on amphibians as they are the indicators of ecosystem, health and pollution level.
For easy understanding, the professor has mentioned English and Telugu names of the species in the research report along with the scientific terms. The research paper also provides the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) position of the species which classifies their status as threatened with extinction.
“Information on protection status is important as many species of reptiles are illegally collected and killed for various reasons,” Dr Srinivasulu said. The research paper also includes photographs of many species which is intended to help in identification by the reader.