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cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/8318271
The new amphibian species, with the scientific name Gastrotheca mittaliiti, measures 2.7 to 3.3 centimeters (1 to 1.3 inches).
Scientists have discovered a new species of miniature marsupial frog in the Peruvian Amazon that carries its young in a natural pouch on its back, a research institute reported Wednesday.
The new amphibian species, with the scientific name Gastrotheca mittaliiti, measures 2.7 to 3.3 centimeters (1 to 1.3 inches) and was discovered in a mountainous ecosystem in the Amazonas region bordering Ecuador.
The frog is bright green and has small protuberances on its back. The number of specimens in the wild is not known.
Its pouch enables the marsupial frog to nurture its young rather than, as other frogs, rely on aquatic environments for egg development.
The study says the amphibian is at “high risk” because its habitat is suffering the effects of climate change and the impact of fires started by farmers clearing the region.
“This is further evidence of the enormous natural wealth we possess… If we continue our research, there are many species still waiting to be discovered,” Manuel Oliva, director of the Ceja de Selva Research Institute for Sustainable Development, part of the Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza National University, told AFP.
The discovery was published in the New Zealand scientific journal Zootaxa and undertaken in collaboration with research departments at Florida International University and the University of Seville in Spain.
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Sorry for this fuss-budget comment, but how can a frog possibly be “marsupial?”
Just one of those funny species-naming things…?
carries its young in a natural pouch on its back
Like that?
This is also true of some other amphibians IIRC, but the comparison certainly holds up.
Thanks for explaining.
I don’t think it’s the only species or genus of marsupial frogs, but most frogs lay eggs in water rather than carry them.
“Marsupial,” let’s not forget.
I.e. it’s a nickname, and nothing more.most frogs lay eggs in water
Yup!
Everyday more species go extinct and yet we didn’t even knew all of them… on land or otherwise.
Yeah, we’ve only actual given a names and classifications to the majority of land vertebrates. For invertebrates and sea creatures the unclassified far outnumber the classified. For bacteria, we barely even bother, they’re like 99% unclassified.
No wonder we keep getting sick from new stuff everyday!
Some places even on earth remain unexplored, Like Tepuis is Amazonas…
Well sure, we haven’t classified all bacteria, and that is part of why new strains catch us by surprise, but to be fair, that is an impossible task.
Bacteria just mutate too quickly to ever completely catalogue them. For instance, infectious bacteria can go through hundreds of generations in a single host, over the course of a single infection. Which means that every infection presents a decent chance for them to turn into a new species.
But the majority of bacteria is not infectious, they simply don’t interact with humans much. Like, lots of bacteria are just little blobs that eat smaller bacteria. So we don’t tend to really study them extensively unless they have some other important macro effect on the world.
Oh it’s soooooo cute! I love hearing about new discoveries!
Just gotta prevent capitalism from destroying the planet, now, so that they can continue to be cute.
The study says the amphibian is at “high risk” because its habitat is suffering the effects of climate change and the impact of fires started by farmers clearing the region.
But how do they know they’re from Mars and like soup?
Everyone knows frogs like soup, but I didn’t know they were from Mars!
