Whistles and clicks lead to tiny creature in Himalayan forest. Photos show new species
While traversing through a rainy forest in the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in India, a group of researchers overheard a series of whistles and clicks.
The source? A new species of frogs.
After investigating the area, the researchers discovered their tiny green culprit hidden within the leaves and twigs of shrubbery, according to a study published May 26 in Vertebrate Zoology. The male creatures use a sting of long whistles and shorter clicks to string together calls from their perches within the plants.
The species, known as Gracixalus patkaiensis or the Patkai green tree frog, is the newest species of tree frogs of the genus Gracixalus to be discovered and the first to be found in India, the study said. There are 19 other species of the frogs spread throughout Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Southern China and Myanmar.
Experts described the small critters— which are around an inch long — as a chartreuse green color, noting that their backs are covered in irregular dark brown spots. The frogs have a white patch on their stomachs and have dark brown stripes from the front of their eyes down their backs, photos show.
Unlike some other similar Gracixalus species, the Patkai frogs do not have webbed fingers or toes, experts said.
Researchers said their findings indicate that even in well-known regions of India there’s likely more unknown species waiting to be identified.
The Namdapha Tiger Reserve is in Arunachal Pradesh, a disputed territory between India and China. The region is located in the Himalayas, about 1,340 miles east of New Delhi and about 3,180 miles southwest of Shanghai.
This story was originally published May 30, 2023 at 3:35 PM with the headline "Whistles and clicks lead to tiny creature in Himalayan forest. Photos show new species."
