Environment

Twelve Frog Species Discovered in India

by Amy Judd | February 14, 2009 at 03:19 pm

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Researchers from the University of Delhi and the Free University of Brussels have discovered twelve new species of frogs at night while hiking in the mountains during monsoon season.

The twelve frogs are of the Philautus genus, which means that there is no tadpole stage during the maturation process. One of the frogs was actually a re-discovery (Philautus travancoricus), which has not been seen for 100 years and was presumed to be extinct.

““This highlights the need for a new conservation strategy for our country. Seemingly small habitat disturbances can wipe out species… Seven of the newly reported species were found in unprotected areas that were forests some time back and are plantations and human habitations now. These species are fast vanishing,” stated Dr. Biju. He is the holder of two doctorates: one in frog systematics and another in plant taxonomy. In 2008 he was awarded the Sabin Award for Amphibian Conservation. The discoveries took place over ten years of field research in the 1,000 mile-long mountainous region. Results of the research were published in the Zoological Journal of Linnean Society.