A new species of narrow-mouthed frog was recently discovered among laterite rock formations of India's coastal plains. These tiny frogs, roughly the size of one's thumbnail, were found by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and subsequently dubbed Microhyla laterite.
Laterite rock formations lack trees and any other vegetation, and are therefore classified as wastelands. As a result, they are often the site of dumping activities and heavily mined.
Independent researcher Ramit Singal found the new frog during field surveys led by NUS Ph.D. student K. S. Seshadri. Singal was working on his citizen science initiative "My laterite, My habitat" at the time of the discovery.
"By naming the frog after its habitat, we hope to draw attention to the endangered rock formations that are of ecological importance," Seshadri said. "M. laterite can potentially be used as a mascot to change peoples' perception about laterite areas."
The frog, measuring about 1.6 centimeters long, is pale brown with prominent black markings on its dorsum, hands, feet and flanks. While observing the new species, researchers found it has a call that is remarkably similar to that of a cricket. As its common name - Laterite narrow-mouthed frog - implies, amphibians have relatively small mouths.
"One could easily confuse this frog with other species like Microhyla ornata, which is thought to occur all over India. However, it was evident from analyzing the genes that M. laterite is a distinct species, and is closely related to M. sholigari, which is found only in the Western Ghats," explained Priti Hebbar, one of the study authors. "All three species are small and similar in appearance and only a critical examination would reveal the differences."
Based on their findings, researchers recommend M. laterite be listed as an endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. In addition to obvious habitat threats, the new frogs have a very narrow geographic range across only 150 square kilometers in southwest India, which puts them at risk of extinction.
"In spite of its geological heritage, laterite areas in India receive very little protection from any legislation. Given the threats these fragile habitats are facing, there is a strong imperative to conserve them," Singal added.
In the future, researchers hope to further investigate the frogs' evolutionary ecology.
"How amphibians persist outside protected areas is not known," Seshadri said. "This critically endangered frog can be used as a basis for declaring its native laterite habitats as 'Conservation Reserves' or 'Biological Heritage Areas' under existing legislations in India, allowing us to further our knowledge and understanding of amphibians."
Their findings were recently published in the journal PLOS ONE.
