Sand-eating tadpoles

• A group of scientists discovered sand-eating tadpole in the southern Western Ghats. These tadpole lives in total darkness, until it fully develops into a young frog.
• These frogs belong to the Indian Dancing Frog family, Micrixalidae. They get that name from their habit of waving their legs as a sign of territorial and sexual display while sitting on boulders in streams.
• The discovery is the result of collaborative efforts of scientists from the University of Delhi, the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and Gettysburg College, California.
• This discovery builds the knowledge base for further comparative analyses and conservation of Micrixalus, an ancient and endemic lineage of Indian frogs.
• The new finding reiterates the uniqueness of amphibians of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, providing a platform for future studies on this amphibian family, while also delivering useful information for conservation of these ancient and endemic frogs.

Key Facts about sand eating tadpoles:

• Fossorial tadpoles: they inhabit interstitial spaces within sand and gravel beds of forest streams, starting from very early to late tadpole stages
• Tadpoles ingest sand: their gut contents consist of sand and sediments ingested along with organic material
• Eel-like body: extensive tail musculature aids in underground movements
• Presence of ribs: these provide protection for internal organs and facilitate underground movement.
• Presence of Lime sacs/ endolymphatic sacs: act as a source of calcium carbonate for tadpoles and juveniles
• Specialized mouthparts with serrated jaw sheaths: act as a filter to prevent large sand particles from entering the mouth
• Skin-covered eyes: To provide protection from abrasion

By: Vishal