A "secretive" new species of frog has been discovered on the forest floor in India's Western Ghat mountain range. Named the starry dwarf frog after the markings on its dark brown back, it is just 2 centimeters long.
The frog, whose closest relatives are a group of species native to India and Sri Linka, is the only member of an ancient lineage (血统) dating back to millions of years ago, according to researchers from India and the US. It is unclear whether the species is descended from African or Asian frogs.
A group of Indian and US researchers first came across the local species hidden in leaf-litter as part of a wider project to look for new frogs, lizards and snakes in the richly biodiverse region and stored it in a jar for later study. Genetic testing and a closer look at its shape, colouring and other features has shown that it doesn't match any existing species.
Kartik Shanker of the Indian Institute of Science, who helped design the study, says while it is common to find new frogs in India, this one needs to be noticed. "This particular species not just is a new species, but also belongs to a new genus (属), and that makes it a little more special, " says Shanker.
The number of known species of frog identified in India has climbed from around 200 to above 400 over the past two decades. While many species new to science are frequently immediately sorted as endangered, it is too early to say whether the starry dwarf frog is threatened. "They are very secretive," says Shanker, adding that the team didn't know the size of its population. The frog is active at night and lives near water.
Habitat loss is a serious risk to frogs in tropical forests around the world, alongside threats such as a deadly fungus (真菌) that has been killing off amphibians (两栖动物) for the past four decades. But the new species was found in a reserved forest, meaning it will enjoy a degree of protection by Indian government agencies.
