Friday, March 11, 2011
A Narrow Escape......................
It was 25th of last month. I was absorbed in a text book, studying for an exam, when I heard a desperate squeaking sound which was undoubtedly from some creature being caught by a predator. I couldn't but help putting the book away and head in to the garden where the sound came from. There was this frog clamped in a crow's beak. When the crow saw me, it dropped this poor beggar and took flight. Having a closer look at the creature, I realized that it was some thing totally unfamiliar to me. I took a couple of quick snaps of the frog and put it in to a well covered corner in the garden. Then I surfed the net trying to find out what species it was. My tentative conclusion is that this is a Common Hourglass Tree-frog/Polypedates cruciger , a common frog endemic to Sri Laka. I've uploaded this image here too for confirming the identification. Perhaps some of you guys could help me with that?
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Wow! Beautiful markings! I hope he survived!
ReplyDeleteVery cool markings! Glad you could save him - just in time. :D Is the spot on its back supposed to look like an eye of a larger creature, i wonder?
ReplyDeleteI really like the composition of the 2nd pic!
Yes it should be Polypedates cruciger. Only other species it could be confused with is P.maculates (http://biodiversityofsrilanka.blogspot.com/2010/08/spotted-tree-frog-polypedates-maculatus.html) because some specimens of P. Cruciger lack that hour-glass mark and in that case it is much resembles to the P. maculatus but not regard with this one:)
ReplyDeletewow! so beautiful. i have never seen an hourglass frog before. we have many unusual frogs here in Thailand too. many bright colored tree frogs. someone told me they are poisonous, so i try to stay far away... too far to take pictures. :(
ReplyDeleteHi texwisgirl, Thanks for stopping by.I hope he survived too. I checked where I put it after a while,it wasn't there.
ReplyDeleteAmaris, You may be right about the marking. That's what gives this frog its name anyway.
Bushana, Thanks for helping me with the identification,buddy!I knew you would do that!:)
tracy, Oh I would love to see some of your frogs one day. I've heard colorful frogs are often venomous, but that shouldn't prevent you from photographing them. You should be safe as long as you don't touch 'em.
Likes wearing a dress.Nice decoration. All the best.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute frog, neat hourglass marking. I too hope it survived. Thanks for sharing your critter.
ReplyDeleteHi Shifan,Eleen,I happy that you found this post interesting!
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