Analysis of health status of the frog Fejervarya limnocharis (Anura: Ranidae) living in rice paddy fields of Western Ghats, using body condition factor and AChE content

Abstract

We evaluated the health status of common frog Fejervarya limnocharis living in rice paddy fields of Western Ghats. For this purpose, body conditions factors (CF), Hepato somatic index (HSI), Acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activities in brain and liver tissues and morphological abnormalities of frogs living in uncontaminated and agrochemical contaminated rice paddy fields were analyzed. Pesticide residues present in the soil of contaminated rice paddy fields varied between 0.001 to 0.03 ppm, while it is undetectable in uncontaminated fields. AChE content in brain and liver tissues of frog was found to be high in uncontaminated rice paddy fields and decreased in contaminated rice paddy fields. We found a higher frequency of morphological abnormalities (18.7 ± 1.92 %) in frogs collected from rice paddy fields with history of continuous pesticide applications, than in frogs collected from uncontaminated rice paddy fields (3.4 ± 1.20 %). Frogs in contaminated rice paddy fields showed high HSI levels indicating stress on their liver. Presence of high HSI, morphological abnormalities, low AChE concentrations, and low body condition factor suggest a decreased health status of frogs F. limnocharis living in agrochemical contaminated rice paddy fields in Western Ghats.