UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India’s frogs find allies from citizen science to sanctuaries

Question 1

In November 2025, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India published a study describing newly recognised bush-frog species (genus Raorchestes) from Northeast India. How many new species were formally described in this study?

Accepted Answer

13

Answer

7

Answer

9

Answer

15

Question 2

The 13 new bush-frog species described from Northeast India and published in November 2025 in the journal Vertebrate Zoology were primarily the work of researchers from which one of the following institutions?

Accepted Answer

Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun

Answer

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata

Answer

Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore

Answer

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai

Question 3

Among the Northeastern states surveyed in the November 2025 Raorchestes bush-frog study, which single state accounted for the largest number of newly described species?

Accepted Answer

Arunachal Pradesh

Answer

Meghalaya

Answer

Mizoram

Answer

Assam

Question 4

With reference to the November 2025 study describing new bush-frog (Raorchestes) species from Northeast India, consider the following states:
1. Arunachal Pradesh
2. Sikkim
3. Meghalaya
4. Manipur
Which of the above are correctly identified as states from which at least one of the newly described species was recorded?

Accepted Answer

1, 3 and 4 only

Answer

1 and 3 only

Answer

2 and 4 only

Answer

1, 2, 3 and 4

Question 5

In the context of recent (2025) reporting on amphibian conservation in the Western Ghats, the term 'galaxy frog' (Melanobatrachus indicus) most appropriately refers to which one of the following?

Accepted Answer

A small microhylid amphibian, the sole member of its genus, endemic to the southern Western Ghats and recently flagged as threatened by unregulated photo tourism

Answer

A fossorial, burrowing frog endemic to the Western Ghats whose tadpoles cling to rocks in fast-flowing streams

Answer

A tree-dwelling gliding frog of the Anaimalai hills that constructs foam nests over water

Answer

A recently described bush frog of the genus Raorchestes from Arunachal Pradesh

UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — India’s frogs find allies from citizen science to sanctuaries

Q1. In November 2025, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India published a study describing newly recognised bush-frog species (genus Raorchestes) from Northeast India. How many new species were formally described in this study?

Q2. The 13 new bush-frog species described from Northeast India and published in November 2025 in the journal Vertebrate Zoology were primarily the work of researchers from which one of the following institutions?

Q3. Among the Northeastern states surveyed in the November 2025 Raorchestes bush-frog study, which single state accounted for the largest number of newly described species?

Q5. In the context of recent (2025) reporting on amphibian conservation in the Western Ghats, the term 'galaxy frog' (Melanobatrachus indicus) most appropriately refers to which one of the following?