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Land leech (Haemadipsa zeylanica) predating Indosylvirana indica (Indian golden-backed frog) in Agumbe, India

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  • Mahesh Bilaskar,
  • Surendra Walke
Mahesh Bilaskar
Savitrbai Phule Pune University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-17768

Published 2025-05-16

Keywords

  • Anura,
  • Brown leech,
  • Endemic,
  • Haemadipsidae,
  • Jawed land leech,
  • predation,
  • Ranidae,
  • type leech (Cochin)
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Bilaskar, M., & Walke, S. (2025). Land leech (Haemadipsa zeylanica) predating Indosylvirana indica (Indian golden-backed frog) in Agumbe, India. Acta Herpetologica. https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-17768

Copyright (c) 2025 Mahesh Bilaskar, Surendra Walke

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

This study documents the first recorded instance of ectoparasitism of the Indian golden-backed frog (Indosylvirana indica) by the land leech (Haemadipsa zeylanica) in Agumbe, India. Observations indicate a specimen of I. indica was infested by H. zeylanica, with the leech attached to the frog's tympanum. While leeches are known ectoparasites of amphibians and can disrupt their health by serving as vectors for pathogens, this association had not been previously documented for I. indica. Our findings highlight the need for further research into leech-anuran interactions to better understand ecological dynamics and their implications on amphibian health.

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References

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