‘Large’ creature — with blue groin — discovered as new species in forest of Indonesia
Perched high above the ground, a “large” creature bellowed into the humid air of the Indonesian rainforest.
“Tonk … tonk … tonk.”
The call “abruptly” split the air and caught the attention of nearby scientists. Following the “loud, harsh” sound, they located its source — and discovered a new species.
Researchers ventured into the rainforest on the western side of New Guinea, an island north of Australia, according to a July 13 study published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. They were searching for frogs, but not just any frogs.
The researchers wanted to find treefrogs that live so high in the canopy that they are “relatively rarely collected and remain poorly known, even in areas where they are frequently heard calling,” the study said.
So when they heard that “tonk ... tonk ... tonk” sound, they followed it. The sound came from over 30 feet up in the trees “near a waterfall on a mountain stream,” according to the study.
The source of the sound was a “big spectacular frog,” co-author Paul Oliver told McClatchy News. “It is not the sort of thing you can easily overlook.”
The frog was identified as a new species: Litoria azuroscelis, or the Azure-thighed treefrog.
The Azure-thighed treefrog is about 2.5 inches in size, the study said. It has “dark green” coloring on its back with “purplish blue” groin and thighs. When the frog’s hindlimbs are stretched out, this hidden coloring is clearly visible, photos show.
The new species was recognized as distinct based on its size, coloring, body shape and the webbing on its hand, the study said. Researchers did not provide an analysis of the frog’s DNA.
Researchers collected two Azure-thighed treefrogs and heard several more calling in the area, the study said.
“We know nearly nothing about its ecology, but hopefully now (that) it is named, over (the) coming years we can learn more about where it lives and what it does,” Oliver said.
The Azure-thighed treefrog has only been found on the Wandammen Peninsula, an Indonesian region on the northwestern coast of New Guinea. The treefrog “is probably more widespread” but its distribution needs to be studied further, researchers said.
“New Guinea is (a) world hotspot of frog diversity, however the Indonesia half of the island remains very poorly known,” Oliver said. “This is just the tip of the iceberg — there are likely hundreds more new frog species to be described.”
The research team included Rainer Günther, Stephen Richards, Amir Hamidy, Wahyu Trilaksono, Taufan Sulaeman and Oliver.
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