Order Anura Higher classification Nanorana | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Nanorana parkeri Rank Species | |
Similar Nanorana, Frog, Amphibians, Nanorana pleskei, True frog | ||
Nanorana parkeri (common names: High Himalaya frog, Xizang Plateau frog, Parker's slow frog, mountain slow frog) is a species of frog in the family Dicroglossidae. It is found in Tibet (China) and in Nepal, but it is expected to be found also in Bhutan and parts of India. It is the second amphibian, and the first Neobatrachian, to have its whole genome sequenced.
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Description
Nanorana parkeri are medium-sized frogs: males grow to a snout–vent length of about 44 mm (1.7 in) and females to 48 mm (1.9 in). Tadpoles are up to about 51 mm (2.0 in) in length.
Genome
The genome is about 2.3 Gb in size, encoding more than 20,000 protein-coding genes. Nanorana parkeri is estimated to have diverged from Xenopus tropicalis, the other amphibian with sequenced genome, approximately 266 Ma ago (range 134–311 Ma).
Habitat and conservation
This very common frog is found on high-altitude grasslands, forests, shrubs, lakes, ponds, marshes, streams and rivers in the Tibetan Plateau at elevations of 2,850–5,000 m (9,350–16,400 ft) asl. It an explosive breed in streams and marshes. There are no known major threats.