Dr Jodi Rowley,
Dr Bryan Stuart
May 21, 2020

A closer look at spectacular red-eyed forest frogs reveals a new species

The Crescent Moon Spadefoot Frog (Leptobrachium lunatum) is only known from the forests of northeastern Cambodia and Central Vietnam, an area under threat from deforestation. Our discovery of this regal red-eyed frog highlights just how important these forests are.

For many years, we have been venturing into the forests, typically in the monsoon season, when most other biologists leave. We hike up into mountain streams and camp in hammocks or tents, searching for frogs by torchlight. In the face of deforestation, it's a race against time to discover what frogs call these forests home, so that they can be scientifically described, named, and taken into account in conservation decisions.

We decided to solve the mystery surrounding these regal red-eyed frogs. We took a close look at the appearance of the red-eyed frogs and their tadpoles, their advertisement calls and their DNA. We realized that the red-eyed frogs from the central Vietnam and adjacent northeastern Cambodia were actually neither known species,

Until recently, two species of “red-eyed” Asian Spadefoot Frogs were known from Cambodia and Vietnam; Leptobrachium pullum, scientifically discovered almost 100 years ago, and Leptobrachium mouhoti, scientifically discovered less than a decade ago.

full https://australianmuseum.net.au/blog/am ... obrachium/

Saw the subject title and it instantly brought to mind the Ripping Yarns “Across the Andes by frog” episode.

Those frogs are actually pretty cute. And I'm sure a lot more friendly than a lot of the things the researchers find in the jungle.

techietraveller84 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 03, 2020 5:47 am Those frogs are actually pretty cute. And I'm sure a lot more friendly than a lot of the things the researchers find in the jungle.

Ha! The barefaced hypocrisy of your species.
It is not the us wild animals that are unfriendly in the jungle, Techie, it is you bloody Homo sapiens that are the poisonous pox.


(written and spoken on behalf of all the cute cuddly wild animals in the KOWow)

He looks like that guys ornament in Guardians of the Galaxy