Hill dweller rubber frog (Pristimantis bounides)RUDOLF VON MAY
In February, researchers used physical and genetic analyses to document two new toad species in the Sumatra highlands. The two species make up an entirely new genus, dubbed Sigalegalephrynus, or puppet toads, for their resemblance to the wooden figures used in local native ceremonies. It is only the second time that a new toad genus has been discovered in Asia since the 1800s, according to a press release.
“With more thorough exploration like ours, Indonesia will probably rank as the most biodiverse country in the world in terms of herpetofauna,” coauthor Utpal Smart, who published the results in Herpetologica, says in the release.
Seven new species discovered from the Western GhatsSD BIJUThat same month, scientists from India discovered seven new frog species in the night frog genus Nyctibatrachus. Four of the new species are among the smallest in the world, measuring just 12 to 15 mm. Publishing in PeerJ, the researchers noted that the tiny frogs are surprisingly common. “[T]hey have probably been overlooked because of their extremely small size, secretive habitats and insect-like calls,” Sonali Garg, a PhD student at the University of Delhi at the time the work was carried out, says in a press release.
