Researchers Discover Voiceless Frog in Tanzania’s Mountains

  • <<
  • >>

594206.jpg

An international team of researchers discovered a new species of spiny-throated reed frog while conducting an amphibian survey in Tanzania's Ukaguru Mountains. Credit: Christoph Liedtke

Key points:

  • A news species of voiceless frogs was discovered in Tanzania’s Ukaguru Mountains.
  • Since they can’t rely on sound to recognize members of their species, they might use spines in the throat instead.
  • Scientists say the newly discovered frog could be of high conservation concern.

Researchers discovered a new species of frog in Africa that has an unusual trait: it’s completely silent. No croaking, no ribbiting and no singing for the Hyperolius ukaguruensis, which is named after Tanzania’s Ukaguru Mountains where it was found.

The new species belongs to a group of “spiny throated” reed frogs, which true to their name have tiny spines on the male’s throat.

“It’s a very odd group of frogs,” said Lucinda Lawson, a conservation biologist and assistant professor of research at the University of Cincinnati. “The male frogs don’t call like most other frogs do. We think they may use the spine as something like Braille for species recognition. Without a call, they need some other way to recognize each other.”

This group of frogs has only a few species, found in small populations that make them rare and at risk of extinction. Finding a new member is a major win for conservation, Lawson said.

In 2019, Lawson led an international team on an amphibian search of the Ukaguru Mountains, where scientists have conducted at least seven previous surveys. They were hoping to find the tree toad Churamiti maridadi, an amphibian that has only been observed twice in the wild in this same forest and is feared extinct.

Despite extensive scouring, documenting, traps and consultations with locals, Lawson’s team never found the tree toad. However, they did come across a locally abundant population of reed frogs unknown to science.

“Time spent looking for the beautiful tree toad yielded unexpected results. It was a fantastic finding that made the effort well worth it,” said study co-author H. Christoph Liedtke, a postdoctoral researcher with the Spanish National Research Council.

A combination of genetic and genomic analyses confirmed the frog was distinct from other members of Hyperolius. Researchers also identified its closest evolutionary relation, Hyperolius ruvuensis, another species that is critically endangered and is likely extinct. Measurements found that the frog has unique body proportions, with smaller eyes in relation to its head than other spiny-throated reed frogs.

Describing a species is the first step toward protecting it, particularly in increasingly fragmented forests like those in the Ukaguru Mountains, Lawson said.

“The Ukaguru Mountains are part of the greater Eastern Arc Rift, a fascinating cradle of biodiversity, with many species endemic to single mountain blocks,” Liedtke said. “The fast population growth in Tanzania means that the mountain forest habitats are under growing threats from people.”

Information from University of Cincinnati.

 

Subscribe to our e-Newsletters
Stay up to date with the latest news, articles, and products for the lab. Plus, get special offers from Laboratory Equipment – all delivered right to your inbox! Sign up now!