They explained in the study that, after several months, they began to see individual frogs next to the eggs.
Photo: Jeffrey H. Frederick
There are very few frog species that have fangs. In fact, it is estimated that there may be around 70. A recent study published in the journal One plus, A new species has been found and it may be the smallest in the world. (Read: Dogs change their eye color to look friendlier)
“This new species is small compared to other fanged frogs on the island where it was found, about the size of a twenty-five cent coin,” Jeff Frederick, a postdoctoral researcher at the Field Museum in Chicago and lead author of the study, explained to IFL Science.
The researcher also said that many of these frogs are huge and weigh up to two pounds. But this new specimen has a body length of about three centimetres.
Specimens of this new species were found at three points on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, and their location was determined thanks to their eggs, which they lay on the sides of tree leaves and mossy rocks. “That was the reason this species was named. Its name Limonectus plant: The researcher says: “The word Phyllofolia is derived from two Greek words that mean leaf and nest.”
They explained in the study that, after several months, they began to see individual frogs next to the eggs. According to Frederick, after observing the nests several times, the team began to find helper frogs sitting on leaves next to the small nests. (You can read: Cat shines in NASA’s first ultra-resolution video from deep space)
Furthermore, they found that all the frogs guarding the eggs were male. “The behavior of males protecting eggs is not exactly known to all frogs, but it is not entirely common,” he adds.
The researchers explained that it is a new species due to some key characteristics, including egg-protecting behavior and small body size. The team suggests that in addition to these described species, they estimate that there are several more present on the island of Sulawesi, which have not yet been named and are unknown to science. (Read also: Reindeer change the color of their eyes in winter. Why?)
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