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Kalai Mani
Bharathidasan University, Zoology, Post-Doc
We studied the amphibian community structure, spatial overlap and herpetofaunal assemblage at Mannampandal, Tamil Nadu during October, 2010 to January, 2011. The survey methods involved careful visual estimation of amphibi-ans in all the... more
We studied the amphibian community structure, spatial overlap and herpetofaunal assemblage at Mannampandal, Tamil Nadu during October, 2010 to January, 2011. The survey methods involved careful visual estimation of amphibi-ans in all the possible microhabitats present in the study area. Five different microhabitat categories were selected, viz., leaf litters, temporary water pools, tree holes, shrubs & grasses (ground vegetation), pathways, open floor & outer edges of buildings. We identified 26 species of reptiles and 14 species of amphibians. There was a significant difference found among the amphibian species occupying in different microhabitats. Species diversity was calculated, Shanon-Wiener H'= 1.55. The high niche overlap was found between Duttaphrynus scaber and Uperodon systoma followed by Fejervarya sp. and Sphaerotheca breviceps. The present study on amphibian community is just a representation to show the micro-habitat occupancy and adjustment by the amphibians in hu...
Research Interests:
We are reporting the ecological differences between three sympatric Indian agamids from Gingee hills between November 2015 to March 2016. In the present study, we have employed Visual Encounter Method (VES), target species namely, Sitana... more
We are reporting the ecological differences between three sympatric Indian agamids from Gingee hills between November 2015 to March 2016. In the present study, we have employed Visual Encounter Method (VES), target species namely, Sitana ponticeriana, Psammophilaus dorsalis, and Calotes versicolor. In this study, we examined agamid niche partitioning and microhabitat habitat utilizations. We also determined the environmental factors that drive agamid distribution in this region. We show that temperature and humidity affect agamid distribution and partition their niches. The occurrence of Sitana ponticeriana, Psammophilaus dorsalis, and Calotes versicolor ranged in temperatures between 30 to 35 °C, 29 to 34 °C and 28 to 33 °C, respectively. The humidity of the locations the three agamids occurred ranged from 52 to 65%, 49 to 65% and 48 to 65%. In addition, we also measured the activity budget of the three agamids and their elevational preference. This study shows niche partitioning between these three common Indian agamids.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
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Research Interests:
Morphology of tadpoles of the little known, Peninsular Indian endemic bufonid Duttaphrynus hololius (Günther, 1876) is described across different stages in detail, with observations on natural history. The oral apparatus of these benthic... more
Morphology of tadpoles of the little known, Peninsular Indian endemic bufonid Duttaphrynus hololius (Günther, 1876) is described across different stages in detail, with observations on natural history. The
oral apparatus of these benthic feeding tadpoles was examined using scanning electron microscopy and the ultra-structure is illustrated and described in detail. These larvae have a labial tooth row formula of 2(2)/2(2), with about 99 and 97 denticles on the anterior and posterior labia respectively. Novel information on the time taken for its ontogenetic development in the advanced stages is presented.
oral apparatus of these benthic feeding tadpoles was examined using scanning electron microscopy and the ultra-structure is illustrated and described in detail. These larvae have a labial tooth row formula of 2(2)/2(2), with about 99 and 97 denticles on the anterior and posterior labia respectively. Novel information on the time taken for its ontogenetic development in the advanced stages is presented.