A Preliminary Survey on Anurans of Jamnagar City and Vicinity Areas, Gujarat, India

The present study attempts to make an inventory of anuran species (Frog and Toad) from Jamnagar city and vicinity areas, Gujarat, India. A preliminary survey was conducted during August to October 2015 with respect to systematics, species composition, diversity indices and conservation status. Total 25 visits were undertaken for field survey by Visual encounter methods (VES) using Line transect and various sizes plotting at random exploring in all the possible microhabitats. All the sampling taxa were identified by various literatures through photographs under Photoshop and close observation during field survey. The results reveal total 14 Anuran species belong to 03 families and 07 genera. Familial population in member of family Dicroglossidae (05 genus and 11 species) represents first position among Bufonidae and Microhylidae. The most abundant species was Skipper Frog (Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis) and conservation status reports One Data-deficient species Short Webbed frog (Minervarya brevipalmata), One endangered species Nilgiri Frog (Minervarya nilagirica) and twelve Least concern as per IUCN red list, two species of Schedule-IV under WPA-1972 category and Only one species Indian bull frog (Hoplobatrachus tigerinus) recorded under CITES. Diversity indices and species richness shows that anurans species were significant in Dicroglossidae (Simpson diversity 1-D = 0.58, Shannon diversity H= 1.36 and Margalefs species richness (d) = 1.87), whereas members of Bufonidae were evenly distributed (evenness - e^H/S= 1.0) during study period. This is the first accounts of such studies in this areas and proposed work is aimed to monitoring and conserving biodiversity in urban ecosystem.