Rakwana Whipping Frog

The Rakwana whipping frog, Taruga fastigo, is endemic to Sri Lanka and known only from its type locality, Morningside Estate near Rakwana. It was confused with Taruga eques (then Polypedates eques) until described in 2001. Males measure 35 to 40 mm and females 55 to 64 mm, with a pointed snout, and its name fastigo is Latin for sharpened. The back is brown or olive green with an incomplete dark hourglass mark, a black line joins armpit and groin, and the belly is white or pale yellow (Wikipedia, general species account).

The only known population lives in montane moist forest at about 1,060 m. Adults are arboreal, typically on twigs and leaves in bushes up to 2 m up, and close to shallow stagnant pools where breeding takes place. A late-stage tadpole is about 40 mm long. Nationally Critically Endangered (Sri Lanka National Red List 2012).