‘Cryptic’ creature with fringed toes found on mountain in China. It’s a new species
On a mountain in southern China, a “rough”-textured creature with fringed toes hid in the bushes and called out. Its remote home and “cryptic” looks largely helped it go overlooked or, when found, be misidentified.
But it turned out to be a new species.
Scientists hiked into the forest of Mount Dayaoshan in 2021 in search of wildlife, according to a study published Nov. 27 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys. During the surveys, they found over a dozen bumpy toads.
Something about the “cryptic”-looking toads caught the researchers’ attention, the study said. The toads looked similar to some known species but didn’t exactly match any. Researchers soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Leptobrachella dayaoshanensis, or the Dayaoshan leaf litter toad.
Dayaoshan leaf litter toads are considered “medium”-sized, reaching over 1 inch in length, the study said. They have “rough” skin covered with bumps and “ridges.” Their heads have a “protruding” snout, “brown throat” and half-silver, half-copper eyes. Their fingertips are “slightly swollen,” and their toes are fringed.
Photos show the brown and orange coloring of the new species. Its legs look striped, and its underside has a lighter brownish-pink hue.
Dayaoshan leaf litter toads live in an “evergreen forest” between elevations of 3,280 and 5,250 feet, the study said. The toads made two different calling sounds and were found “near rocky streams.” Their breeding season occurs in March and April.
Researchers said they named the new species after Mount Dayaoshan where it was discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. The peak is in southern China’s Guangxi region, a roughly 1,450-mile drive southwest from Beijing and bordering Vietnam.
The new species was identified by its calls, body size and shape, coloring, toes, eyes and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 2% genetic divergence from other related toads.
The research team included Gui-Dong Yu, Kun Qin, Tao Meng, Peng Li, Wan-Xiao Peng and Wei-Cai Chen.
This story was originally published November 29, 2024 at 9:04 AM with the headline "‘Cryptic’ creature with fringed toes found on mountain in China. It’s a new species."
