Wildlifeof Nepal
Scutiger ghunsa
Horned Frogs & Litter FrogsScutiger ghunsa
Basic stats
Habitat
Mixed rhododendron forest beside a slow stream with still pools, at about 3,475m
Range
Endemic to eastern Nepal; known only from Ghunsa in Taplejung District, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area
Size
Males 42-48mm; females 50-54mm
The Ghunsa alpine toad, Scutiger ghunsa, was described in 2019 and is a toad of the family Megophryidae. Males are 42 to 48mm and females 50 to 54mm. It is light brown above with an olive triangular snout mark, males have spiny warts and females smooth skin. Its closest relatives are S. nepalensis and S. sikimmensis (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is known only from Ghunsa in Taplejung District, in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, at about 3,475m in mixed rhododendron forest beside a slow stream with still pools. A male guarding eggs under a rock suggests parental care, which is unusual for the genus. Tadpoles reach 28 to 33mm (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Scutiger ghunsa live in?
- Mixed rhododendron forest beside a slow stream with still pools, at about 3,475m
- Where is the Scutiger ghunsa found?
- Endemic to eastern Nepal; known only from Ghunsa in Taplejung District, Kanchenjunga Conservation Area
- How big is the Scutiger ghunsa?
- Males 42-48mm; females 50-54mm