The genus Nanorana, also called Yunnan Slow Frogs (Frank & Ramus 1995), belongs to the family Dicroglossidae. Murree Hills Frog N. vicina, is an endemic species of Southeast Asian uplands in Pakistan and India and was first reported by Stoliczka (1872) from Murree, Punjab Province, Pakistan. Later Rais et al. (2014) recaptured it from its type locality and described morphology of one juvenile female and one adult male. The species is listed as Least Concern in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species while the EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) score is 2.64. In Pakistan, it is reported from brook water springs and streams of Murree, Galiat (North Punjab), Ayubia (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (Rais et al. 2014). Although the adult form has been characterized (Khan 2006; Rais et al. 2014), the morphology of the tadpoles have not yet been described. The current study aimed to describe external morphology and morphometry of tadpoles of N. vicina.

The health benefits of recreational parks in urban areas have been well documented. However, the connection between the type of physical activity and the health conditions of park visitors is rarely examined. This study aimed to investigate whether the type of physical activity is linked to the health status of visitors in recreational parks. We collected data from 607 visitors across four recreational parks in Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Pakistan, using 32 surveys with a closed-ended questionnaire. Our findings indicated that most park visitors were in good health ( n = 513; 84.51%). The most common health issue reported was depression ( n = 52; 8.57%), followed by obesity ( n = 23; 3.79%) and high blood pressure ( n = 11; 1.81%), while the least common was diabetes ( n = 8; 1.32%). A statistically significant association was found between health condition and the type of physical activity performed in the parks. Individuals with no health issues were more likely to engage in running, while those with depression tended to be more sedentary (sitting and watching). Individuals with obesity showed a higher likelihood of running, and those with diabetes were more likely to participate in sports. Our results suggest that tailoring recreational programs to align with the health profiles of visitors could enhance participation and promote healthier lifestyles.

Amphibian misidentification within the commercial wildlife trade represents a growing challenge for biodiversity conservation and wildlife regulation. Morphologically similar species are frequently traded under incorrect names, which can obscure conservation status, facilitate illegal trade, and mislead consumers. We purchased four specimens advertised as Hoplobatrachus chinensis , a widespread farmed species, from an online marketplace in China. Because of their unexpected morphology upon reception, we barcoded them with a widely used tyrosinase ( TYR ) gene marker. We reconstructed a Bayesian inference-based phylogeny using a final dataset consisting of 572 bp from 51 homologous TYR sequences. The resulting tree clustered all four samples within the Quasipaa spinosa clade with high posterior probabilities (>0.99), rather than H. chinensis as advertised. This finding indicates that a protected species has been misidentified and traded despite China’s wildlife trade regulations. The case underscores the urgent need for accurate taxonomic identification tools for traders to prevent such misidentifications and stricter amphibian trade regulations to curb the ongoing illegal trade of threatened taxa.

The Dehradun Stream Frog, Amolops chakrataensis, is a Critically Endangered stream-dwelling amphibian endemic to Uttarakhand in the western Himalayas of India and the species was previously known only from a single holotype collected in 1985. Despite repeated surveys, the species remained undetected for more than four decades, raising concerns that it went extinct. Here, we report the rediscovery of A. chakrataensis from the Maneri landscape, Uttarakhand, approximately 65 km on a straight-line east of the type locality. We confirmed the species identity using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological comparisons with the holotype, and we sequenced the mitochondrial 16S rRNA DNA gene fragment. Our analyses recovered A. chakrataensis as a distinct clade. Extensive field surveys covering 14 sites and 424 person-hours detected only two individuals, highlighting the rarity of the species. Using environmental characteristics of the three known localities, we developed a habitat envelope that identified additional priority areas for future surveys and potential conservation management. Our findings confirm the continued persistence of A. chakrataensis, provide the first molecular reference for the species, extend its known distribution, and establish an important foundation for future monitoring and conservation planning in the western Himalayas.