Bufo gargarizans Cantor, 1842

Bufo gargarizans Cantor, 1842 is a large-sized terrestrial toad (SVL males: 62–106 mm; females: 70–121 mm) distributed in eastern Asia, known to occur up to 4,300m (Fei et al. 2012).  The populations on the Tibetan Plateau are some of the highest known records of any toad species (Fei et al. 2009; Zhan & Fu 2011).  This species complex has a wide distribution range spanning most of central, southeastern, and northeastern China, the Russian far-east up to the Amur River Valley, throughout the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Vietnam (IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group 2019; Frost 2021 but see Che et al. 2020 for suggestions for a new taxonomic split for populations in Tibet).  No records of the Bufo gargarizans species complex had been previously reported from India (Dinesh et al. 2020).  In this paper, we report the first and the only known occurrence of Bufo gargarizans from the Indian subcontinent.

Morphologically, the toad species reported from Dibang Valley share the following significant similarities with Bufo gargarizans (see Fei Liang et al. 2012 for morphological details of the species).  The specimens from Dibang Valley were dorsally dark gray to olive-brownish in color with a wide mid-dorsal line.  The dorsal surface and flanks were rough with large warts.  The ventral side from snout to vent was granular, grayish-yellow or light yellow in colour; belly smooth, and granular.  Irregular dark spots or stripes were present on the ventral surface of the body and the flanks extending from the dorsal surface of the parotid gland to the thigh.  There were 2–3 larger warts on the inner side of the upper eyelid.  The head was triangular, tympanum large and distinct, parotid glands were bean-shaped.  The tip of fingers and toes were soft and round.  The SVL of the only individual of unknown sex measured was 62mm (n= 1).

The microhabitat for all three breeding populations was similar—flat wetlands and marshes with stagnant water, covered with thick aquatic vegetation (Image 2).  A few individuals were also encountered in small rainfed puddles and pools along  human  trails  inside  the  forest,  within  close proximity to the marshlands.