Two new frog species discovered in Panama
May 28th, 2010 - 2:41 pm ICT by IANSPanama City, May 28 (DPA) Scientists have discovered two new frog species in Panama’s rainforests at a time when many of the amphibians are threatened by a fungal disease driving them toward extinction.
Pristimantis educatoris was discovered in the Omar Torrijos nature reserve in Cocle province, scientists from the US Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute said Thursday.
The frog is two to four centimeters long, varies from dark purple to dark grey in its colouring, and has red or yellow eyes. Its fingers and toes also end in bulbous disks.
The second species, Pristimantis adnus, was found in the rainforests of Darien province near the border with Colombia. It has rough, green-and-brown striped skin on its back, which is scattered with enlarged granules, and the males of the species are about two centimeters long.
The discoveries have pushed the number of known frog species in Panama and Costa Rica to 195, the institute said.
The scientists said they hope to be able to find and identify frogs before the fungal disease, called chytridiomcyosis, reaches them to help protect the endangered species.
- 30 new species of frog discovered in coastal rainforests of western Ecuador - Jan 16, 2010
- Disease wiping out amphibians in Panama before they can be identified - Jul 20, 2010
- New frog species found in New York - Mar 18, 2012
- 10 new amphibian species discovered in Colombia - Feb 03, 2009
- Search on for 'lost amphibians' before they go extinct - Aug 09, 2010
- Amphibian declines have multiple causes with no simple solution - Apr 26, 2011
- World's largest snake feasted on ancient croc relative 60 mln yrs ago - Feb 03, 2010
- First monogamous amphibian discovered in South America - Feb 23, 2010
- Scientists discover 'unique' frog species in India - May 14, 2010
- Giant "lungless" worm found living on land with no legs - Nov 19, 2009
- World's smallest frog discovered - Jan 12, 2012
- New bat species that look like Star Wars' Yoda have been discovered - Oct 08, 2010
- Tiny beaked toad, two other species discovered - Nov 28, 2010
- A frog's vibes attracts mates - Jun 30, 2010
- Elusive long fingered frog rediscovered after 62 years - Mar 28, 2012
Tags: amphibians, centimeters, colouring, darien province, dark grey, dark purple, endangered species, extinction, fingers and toes, frog species, frogs, fungal disease, granules, nature reserve, omar torrijos, panama city, rainforests, smithsonian tropical research institute, tropical research institute, yellow eyes