Chalazodes bubble-nest frog

The overall body coloration of Raorchestes chalazodes is green with a purplish white ventral region and black-blue spots on the groin region. Some distinguishing characteristics of the species is a rounded snout, a lingual papilla on the tongue, and well-developed supernumerary tubercles. Raorchestes chalazodes also has moderate toe webbing. One of its most unique and distinctive traits is its eye: a black iris with golden patches.

Holotype. The holotype is an adult female collected in Travancore by Colonel Richard Henry Beddome, and given to Albert C. L. G. Günther, who described it. This specimen is 26 mm long with the hind limbs measuring 42 mm long. The dorsal surface is described as a uniform green, whereas the ventral surface is a yellowish-white color. The dorsal surface also has tubercles that look like white spots. These tubercles are presumed to be the reason Gunther named the species "chalazodes".

Raorchestes chalazodes is found in the narrow region of the Western Ghats on the West Coast of peninsular India, where they are restricted to elevations over 1200 m. It lives in the tropical and moist evergreen forest understory. More specifically, Raorchestes chalazodes are found in the endemic understory of the Ochlandra travancorica bamboo that is found in the area. This bamboo forms a shrubby habitat that often forms impenetrable clumps next to stream banks, which offers protection. The frog cannot create its own bamboo holes and must depend on the Nilgiri palm squirrel (Funambulus sublineatus).

Raorchestes chalazodes mainly consumes invertebrates such as insects and spiders, but have also been observed to eat other invertebrates such as molluscs. Specifically, Raorchestes chalazodes was observed consuming Satiella dekkanensis, a type of snail that does not possess a hard shell. Before the breeding season, adult male frogs will forage for large prey such as Satiella dekkanensis to prepare for the long period of caregiving.