‘Meep’ sound in darkened forest leads to ‘ivory’-eyed creature. It’s a new species
Walking through a darkened forest in Papua New Guinea, scientists heard a “meep.” The “musical” sound caught their attention and led them to an “ivory”-eyed creature perched on a plant.
It turned out to be a new species.
Researchers ventured into the forested foothills of the Central Cordillera several times in 2009 and 2010, according to a study published Aug. 15 in the peer-reviewed Salamandra German Journal of Herpetology. The hills were a hot spot for amphibian diversity, exactly what they were searching for.
During the nighttime surveys, researchers followed the sounds of calling animals and found several bumpy-looking frogs, the study said. They took a closer look and soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Choerophryne frieda, or the Frieda River frog.
Frieda River frogs are considered “moderate” in size, reaching just under 1 inch in length, the study said. They have “short” snouts, “medium sized” tongues and “small,” “ivory” eyes.
Photos show the various color patterns of the lumpy new species. One frog has creamy brown sides and a darker reddish-brown back.
Other lighter-colored frogs look pale yellow and whitish-brown, photos show. A darker-colored frog appears mostly chocolate brown with some red-orange patches.
Researchers described the call of male Frieda River frogs as a “melodious note sounding like ‘meep.’” Their “musical” sound can last between 30 seconds to several minutes. A photo shows a frog mid-call, its vocal sac expanded.
Frieda River frogs were often found calling at night from plants in a “wet hill forest,” the study said. One frog was found hidden in the crevice of a tree.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Frieda River, a waterway near where the new species was discovered.
So far, Frieda River frogs have been found at four nearby sites in the “northern foothills of the Central Cordillera,” the study said. These mountains are on the western edge of Papua New Guinea, an island country north of Australia.
The new species was identified by its snout shape, call sound, body shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers did not provide a DNA analysis of the new species.
The research team included Rainer Günther and Stephen Richards. The team also discovered a second new species of frog: Choerophryne hageni.
This story was originally published August 30, 2024 at 8:49 AM with the headline "‘Meep’ sound in darkened forest leads to ‘ivory’-eyed creature. It’s a new species."
