Minervarya Pentali: New frog species discovered in Western Ghats

Context: Recently, a team of Delhi University researchers has discovered a new frog species in the Western Ghats and has named it “Minervarya Pentali”.
About Minervarya Pentali

• It is a new frog species from the genus Minervarya. It is also among the smallest known Minervarya frogs.
• The species was discovered from the Western Ghats. The species is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
• The species has been named after former DU Vice-Chancellor and plant geneticist Deepak Pental.

About Minervarya

• Minervarya is a genus of frogs in the family Dicroglossidae. The identity and taxonomic status of all known members of this genus are from Peninsular India.

About Western Ghats

• These are the mountain ranges running parallel along the western coast of India starting from Gujarat and ending in Tamil Nadu.
• Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala are the six Indian states covered by Western Ghats.
• The mountain range is also a “Hottest Hotspot” of biodiversity.
• The Ghats are often called the Great Escarpment of India and are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• High Biodiversity and Endemism are special features of Western Ghats along with the presence of Evergreen Forests.