Rediscovery of the Lost and Critically Endangered Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis.
7 affiliations
- 1Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- 2Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India.
- 3Amphibian Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 1196 Gland, Switzerland.
- 4Laboratory of Animal Behaviour and Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
- 5Biodiversity Research and Conservation Foundation, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India.
- 6Zoological Survey of India, Western Regional Centre, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, India.
- 7Department of Zoology and General Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Fergana State University, Fergana 150100, Uzbekistan.
Abstract
The Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis, is a Critically Endangered stream-dwelling amphibian endemic to Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas of India and the species was previously known only from a single holotype collected in 1985. Despite repeated surveys, the species remained undetected for more than four decades, raising concerns that it went extinct. Here, we report the rediscovery of A. chakrataensis from the Maneri landscape, Uttarakhand, approximately 65 km on a straight-line east of the type locality. We confirmed the species identity using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological comparisons with the holotype, and we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment. Our analyses recovered A. chakrataensis as a distinct clade. Extensive field surveys covering 14 sites and 424 person-hours detected only two individuals, highlighting the rarity of the species. Using environmental characteristics of the three known localities, we developed a habitat envelope that identified additional priority areas for future surveys and potential conservation management. Our findings confirm the continued persistence of A. chakrataensis, provide the first molecular reference for the species, extend its known distribution, and establish an important foundation for future monitoring and conservation planning in the western Himalayas.
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BibTeX
@article{prasad2026rediscovery,
title = {{Rediscovery of the Lost and Critically Endangered Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis.}},
author = {Vishal Kumar Prasad and Saurav Chaudhary and Sky T Button and Sumbul Gill and Amit Badola and Devendra Singh and Sandeep Kumar Gupta and K P Dinesh and Amaël Borzée},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ani16193072},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883041},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Rediscovery of the Lost and Critically Endangered Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis.
AU - Vishal Kumar Prasad
AU - Saurav Chaudhary
AU - Sky T Button
AU - Sumbul Gill
AU - Amit Badola
AU - Devendra Singh
AU - Sandeep Kumar Gupta
AU - K P Dinesh
AU - Amaël Borzée
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/29
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16193072
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883041
AB - The Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis, is a Critically Endangered stream-dwelling amphibian endemic to Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas of India and the species was previously known only from a single holotype collected in 1985. Despite repeated surveys, the species remained undetected for more than four decades, raising concerns that it went extinct. Here, we report the rediscovery of A. chakrataensis from the Maneri landscape, Uttarakhand, approximately 65 km on a straight-line east of the type locality. We confirmed the species identity using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological comparisons with the holotype, and we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment. Our analyses recovered A. chakrataensis as a distinct clade. Extensive field surveys covering 14 sites and 424 person-hours detected only two individuals, highlighting the rarity of the species. Using environmental characteristics of the three known localities, we developed a habitat envelope that identified additional priority areas for future surveys and potential conservation management. Our findings confirm the continued persistence of A. chakrataensis, provide the first molecular reference for the species, extend its known distribution, and establish an important foundation for future monitoring and conservation planning in the western Himalayas.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -