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{{Short description|Species of frog}}
{{Speciesbox
| image =
| status =VU
| status_ref =<ref name=IUCN />
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| taxon = Raorchestes keirasabinae
| authority =Garg, Suyesh, Das, Bee, and Biju, 2021
| range_map =
| synonyms =
| synonyms_ref =
}}

'''''Roarchestes keirasabinae''''', or '''Keira's shrub frog''', is a species of frog in the family [[Rhacophoridae]], endemic to [[India]]. Scientists have observed it in many places within the [[Western Ghat]] mountains, all between 100 and 1,000 meters above sea level.<ref name=AMNH>{{BioRef|ASW6
|title=''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' Garg, Suyesh, Das, Bee, and Biju, 2021
|url=https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/Amphibia/Anura/Rhacophoridae/Rhacophorinae/Raorchestes/Raorchestes-keirasabinae
|access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name=Amph>{{BioRef|amphibiaweb
|title= ''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' Garg, Suyesh, Das, Bee, and Biju, 2021
|author1=
|editor1=
|date=June 1, 2021
|language=
|url=https://amphibiaweb.org/species/9332
|access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name=IUCN>{{cite IUCN
|title= Keira's Shrub Frog: ''Raorchestes keirasabinae''
|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/197945955/197945974
|article-number= e.T197945955A197945974
|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T197945955A197945974.en
|id=197945955
|year=2023
|author1=IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group
|access-date=March 28, 2024}}</ref> This frog has been observed in forests, including a few [[secondary forest]]s, high in the [[canopy (biology)|canopy]]. Scientists believe this frog breeds through [[direct development]] like other frogs in ''Raorchestes''.<ref name="IUCN" /> It is classified as vulnerable to extinction despite its large range, and heavy fragmentation from agriculture.<ref name="IUCN" />

== Taxonomy ==
''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' was [[Species description|described]] in 2021 by the [[herpetologist]] Sonali Garg and her colleagues, based on an adult male specimen collected in Chathankod-Makki, [[Thiruvananthapuram district]] in the Indian state of [[Kerala]]. The species is named after Keira Sabin, to honour the Andrew Sabin Family Foundation's support for amphibian research and conservation.<ref name=":0" /> ''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' is a member of the ''[[Raorchestes nerostagona]]'' group within its genus and is most closely related to ''R. nerostagona''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last=Garg |first=Sonali |last2=Suyesh |first2=Robin |last3=Das |first3=Sandeep |last4=Bee |first4=Mark A. |last5=Biju |first5=S. D. |date=2021-03-03 |title=An integrative approach to infer systematic relationships and define species groups in the shrub frog genus ''Raorchestes'' , with description of five new species from the Western Ghats, India |url=https://peerj.com/articles/10791 |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=9 |article-number=e10791 |doi=10.7717/peerj.10791 |issn=2167-8359 |doi-access=free|pmc=7936570 }}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4|from this source=yes|url=https://peerj.com/articles/10791/|authors=Garg, Suyesh, Das, Bee, Biju}}</ref>

== Morphology ==
''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' is a medium-sized species, with a male [[snout–vent length]] of 29–31 mm.<ref name=":0" /> The anterior part of the dorsum is brown with black and dark brown patches, while the posterior half is green with grey patches. The snout is light green dorsally, and the sides of the head are dark greyish-brown. The underside is off-white, with variable amounts of brown or grey spots forming a vermiculated pattern.

The throat is darker than the belly, with dark grey margins and bands along the lips. The dorsal surface of the fore and hindlimbs is light greyish-brown, with irregular dark grey and light green cross-bands. The sides of the belly have brown and grey mottling. The groin and anterior parts of the thigh are brown with white patches. The posterior edges of the thigh and shank are dark chocolate-brown. The hands and feet are green-tinged brownish-grey. The iris is reddish-grey with a faint horizontal brown band. The colour and markings of the dorsum are variable and possibly adapted to the frog's surroundings.<ref name=":0" />

== Distribution and Habitat ==
''Raorchestes keirasabinae'' is endemic to the [[Western Ghats]] of Kerala and is currently known from elevations of 100–1,000 m south of the [[Palghat gap]]. It has been observed at [[Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve|Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve]] in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram and [[Kollam district|Kollam]], and [[Periyar National Park]] in the district of [[Idukki district|Idukki]]. Since the species inhabits the highest canopy layers and cannot be located easily, it could have a wider geographical range in the Western Ghats regions south of Palghat gap, both in Kerala and the adjoining state of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q119157118}}

[[Category:Frogs of Asia]]
[[Category:Endemic amphibians of India]]
[[Category:Amphibians described in 2021]]
[[Category:Raorchestes|keirasabinae]]

Raorchestes keirasabinae - Revision history

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