# Taruga (frog)

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***Taruga*** is a genus of [frogs](/source/Frog) [endemic](/source/Endemism) to Sri Lanka. They are the only foam-nesting tree frogs in the Old World Tree frog family, [Rhacophoridae](/source/Rhacophoridae).

Genus *Taruga* was previously assigned to the genus *Polypedates*. As presently understood, *Taruga* comprises three named species: *T. fastigo*, *T. eques* and *T. longinasus*. Hence two genera of foam-nesting rhacophorid tree frogs are present in Sri Lanka: (1) *Polypedates*, with many species in India and Asia but just two in [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) (*P. maculatus*— widely distributed in South Asia; and *P. cruciger*— endemic to [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka), albeit widely distributed); and (2) *Taruga*, the Sri Lankan endemic forms, whose three constituent species (*T. eques*, *T. fastigo* and *T. longinasus*) each have restricted distributions mostly in the forested highlands. The best character to distinguish the adults of *Taruga* from [Polypedates](/source/Polypedates) are a set of prominent cone-like projections around the vent. Furthermore, the supratympanic fold of Taruga is straighter than those in [Polypedates](/source/Polypedates). The snout of *Taruga* is very much acute than that of [Polypedates](/source/Polypedates).

Considering [tadpoles](/source/Tadpoles), the vent of Polypedates forms a tube between left leg and tail, and in *Taruga*, there is no such tube, only an opening between leg and tail. There are also several more features of the mouth cavity, such as the number of projections on the tongue, shape of the tongue etc. that helps to distinguish *Taruga* from Polypedates.

*Taruga* in [Sanskrit](/source/Sanskrit) (and early-[Sinhala](/source/Sinhala_language)) means "tree climber". This name is very appropriate as the adults of these are tree inhabiting [frogs](/source/Frogs), and rarely come to the ground. They often even lay their [eggs](/source/Egg) on vegetation overhanging water.

All three frogs need shade in the form of a canopy to survive, and shallow and slow flowing streams or puddles to breed.

The female of the species builds a foamy nest overhanging water where eggs develop for a few days, after which tadpoles fall into water where they undergo further development until [metamorphosis](/source/Metamorphosis) occurs. The juvenile frogs that emerge from water return to an arboreal life, on trees.

Sri Lanka is now known to contain clade level endemicity despite many land-bridge connections with [India](/source/India). *Taruga* is yet another such deeply divergent clade.

Following scientists contributed to this paper: Dr. Madhava Meegaskumbura (Dept. of Zoology, [University of Peradeniya](/source/University_of_Peradeniya), [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka)); Dr. Suyama Meegaskumbura (Dept. of Zoology, [University of Peradeniya](/source/University_of_Peradeniya)), Mr. Gayan Bowatte (Dept. of Zoology, [University of Peradeniya](/source/University_of_Peradeniya)), Prof. Christopher J. Schneider ([Boston University](/source/Boston_University), USA) and Prof. James Hanken ([Harvard University](/source/Harvard_University), USA).

## Species

There are three recognized species in this genus:[1]

- *[Taruga eques](/source/Taruga_eques)* (Günther, 1858)
- *[Taruga fastigo](/source/Taruga_fastigo)* (Manamendra-Arachchi & Pethiyagoda, 2001)
- *[Taruga longinasus](/source/Taruga_longinasus)* (Ahl, 1927)

## References

- Meegaskumbura, M. *et al.*. 2010. [\[1\]](http://web.mac.com/madhavameegaskumbura/iWeb/Site/Publications_files/2010_Taruga_a%20new%20genus%20of%20frogs.pdf)[dead link].

1. Frost, Darrel R. (2013). ["*Taruga* Meegaskumbura, Meegaskumbura, Bowatte, Manamendra-Arachchi, Pethiyagoda, Hanken, and Schneider, 2010"](http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/?action=names&taxon=Taruga). *Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference*. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 12 November 2013.

## External links

- Taruga, a new tree-frog genus from Sri Lanka [\[2\]](https://web.archive.org/web/20120516120350/http://web.mac.com/madhavameegaskumbura/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Taruga (frog)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taruga_(frog)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taruga_(frog)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.