‘Large’-eyed mountain creature found hiding in stream in China. It’s a new species

Aspen Pflughoeft
·2 min read
2

High up on a mountain in central China, a “large”-eyed creature sat on a plant, hidden in plain sight. The spotted animal had managed to escape notice for years. When scientists finally found it, they discovered a new species.

Researchers ventured into the mountains of Guizhou province on five wildlife surveys between 2020 and 2023, according to a study published Jan. 12 in the journal ZooKeys. They were searching for frogs in “one of the richest areas for amphibians in China.”

While looking around a mountain stream, researchers found five spotted frogs, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals and realized they’d discovered a new species: Amolops dafangensis, or the Dafang cascade frog.

Dafang cascade frogs are considered “moderate” in size, reaching about 2 inches in length, researchers said. They have “smooth” skin, “large” eyes and “long” hindlimbs with “entirely webbed” toes.

An Amolops dafangensis, or Dafang cascade frog, perched on a plant.
An Amolops dafangensis, or Dafang cascade frog, perched on a plant.

A photo shows a Dafang cascade frog. It has a “golden brown” coloring “with large rounded black brown and green spots,” the study said.

The new species varies in coloring, which is seen in photos of the amphibians, the study said. Some Dafang cascade frogs are primarily brown with fewer green patches. Others are primarily green and black with very little brown.

The frog’s coloring appears to help it blend in with its surroundings, photos show.

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Several Amolops dafangensis, or Dafang cascade frogs, of various colors.
Several Amolops dafangensis, or Dafang cascade frogs, of various colors.

Dafang cascade frogs were found on plants “in a mountain stream” at an elevation of about 5,200 feet, the study said.

Researchers said they named the new species after Dafang county, the area where it was discovered and the only area where it has been found so far. Dafang county is in Guizhou province and about 1,000 miles southwest of Shanghai.

Researchers did not find any female Dafang cascade frogs. They suspect the new species has a “small” population and should be considered vulnerable.

The new species was identified by its size, head shape, body shape and teeth, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 0.7% genetic divergence from other frog species.

The research team included Shi-Ze Li, Jing Liu, Xiao-Cong Ke, Gang Cheng and Bin Wang.

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