This species occurs in the Eastern and Western Ghats of India in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. It has been recorded from elevations of 600-1,000m asl.
Habitat and Ecology
It is a fossorial species of scrubland, forest (moist and dry deciduous), and forest edge habitat. It is generally only encountered during the wet season. It breeds in temporary pools by larval development.
It is locally abundant in some areas, but might be showing an overall population decline.
The main threats to this species are the conversion of its habitat to agricultural land and road construction.
Given the species' wide range it is likely to occur in numerous protected areas. It is protected by national legislation.
Biju (2001) considers this taxon to be a junior synonym of Spharerotheca pluvialis (which is itself considered here to be a synonym of S. breviceps, pending resolution of this complex).
Sushil Dutta, Anand Padhye, Robert Inger 2004. Sphaerotheca dobsonii. In: IUCN 2014