Volume 26, Issue 78, July - December, 2025

Amphibian Diversity of Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India: Updated Checklist

Bhaskar Saikia^1,2♦, Bikramjit Sinha³, Prasanta Nanda⁴, Mridul Kumar Borthakur²

¹Zoological Survey of India, North Eastern Regional Centre, Shillong 793003, Meghalaya, India
²Zoology Department, B. Borooah College (affiliated under Gauhati University), Ulubari, Guwahati 781007, Assam, India
³Zoological Survey of India, Amphibia Section, Fire Proof Spirit Building, Indian Museum Complex, 27 J.L. Nehru Road, Kolkata – 700016, West Bengal, India
⁴Department of Zoology, Dera Natung Government College, Itanagar 791 113, Arunachal Pradesh, India

^♦Corresponding Author
Bhaskar Saikia, Zoological Survey of India, North Eastern Regional Centre, Risa Colony, Shillong 793003, Meghalaya, India

ABSTRACT

Arunachal Pradesh, located within the eastern region of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, supports one of the richest amphibian assemblages in India. However, rapid taxonomic advances in recent years have significantly changed the understanding of its amphibian diversity. Herein, we present an updated checklist of the amphibians of the State by collating recent taxonomic revisions, new species descriptions, distributional records, and conservation assessments. This account includes 107 amphibian species under 10 families and three orders. We also address several taxonomic uncertainties, particularly in morphologically cryptic groups where historical records require re-evaluation using an integrative taxonomic approach for clarity. We also adopt a conservative treatment in cases of unresolved species complexes and exclude doubtful records pending further study. This work also revisits the taxonomic status of the nomen Rhacophorus namdaphaensis. The legal protection, conservation status, and endemicity were reassessed in light of recent updates, emphasising the presence of many threatened and range-restricted species. This amphibian checklist provides an updated baseline for taxonomic research, biodiversity monitoring, and conservation planning in Arunachal Pradesh.

Keywords: Distribution, eastern Himalaya, Rhacophorus namdaphaensis, resurrection

Species, 2026, 27(79), e4s3249

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Published: 05 March 2026