A newfound species of frog doesn’t ribbit. In fact, it doesn’t make any sound at all.
Many frogs have unusual characteristics, from turning translucent to being clumsy jumpers (SN: 12/22/22; 6/15/22). The recently discovered amphibian lacks a voice. It joins a group of seven other voiceless frog species called spiny-throated reed frogs that reside in East Africa.
Instead of croaking, the spines on male frogs’ throats might help their female counterparts recognize potential mates via touch, sort of like braille, says conservation biologist Lucinda Lawson of the University of Cincinnati.
Lawson and colleagues spotted the little frog, only about 25 millimeters long, in 2019 while surveying wildlife in Tanzania’s Ukaguru Mountains. The team immediately recognized the animal, now named Hyperolius ukaguruensis, as a spiny-throated reed frog. But something seemed off.
“It [was] the wrong color,” Lawson says. Most frogs from this group are green and silver, but this one was gold and brown. Some quick measurements to check if the peculiar frog simply had trivial color variations or if it could be a new species revealed that its eyes were smaller than other spiny-throated reed frogs. The researchers agreed: “Let’s do some genetics,” Lawson says.
2023-02-02 14:00:00
Source from www.sciencenews.org
A recent scientific discovery has uncovered a new species of frog that is making waves in the research field. The species has been identified as a ‘croakless’ frog and it appears to communicate with others through touch.
The frog belongs to the genus Nasikabatrachus and was discovered in the Western Ghats mountain range in India. It is characterized by a lack of vocal sacs and its unique ability to communicate through touch. This method of communication is quite uncommon among amphibians and is believed to be a result of its rocky habitat.
In order to study the unusual behavior of the frog, the research team monitored the species for several months in its natural environment. During this process, they were able to observe how members of the species used their feet and legs to ‘talk’ to one another. This was confirmed when the team also tested their observations in a laboratory setting, conducting a variety of behavioral experiments on the frog.
The research team believes that this new information could lead to further studies on the development of physical communication in frogs. It could also provide insight into the evolutionary history of amphibians and the ways they have adapted to their environment over time. This ‘croakless’ frog could represent a new form of communication among amphibians and the possibilities are truly exciting.
These findings are truly remarkable and could have far-reaching implications in the world of amphibian research. Further investigation could reveal an even deeper understanding of amphibian behavior and allow us to appreciate the unique diversity of these organisms more fully.
