Elusive striped creature — with disc toes — found for first time in Tibet. See it
A creature rarely seen since it was discovered more than 100 years ago was found for the first time — accidentally — in Tibet.
Researchers conducting a survey of harmful forest pests recorded a single young Amolops himalayanus — a frog species previously only seen in India and Nepal, according to a study published March 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Biodiversity Data Journal.
Amolops himalayanus, or the Himalayan frog, was first discovered in Darjeeling, India, in 1888 and has not been extensively studied, researchers said.
The team of scientists found the frog at night, sitting in shrubland by a river. It is the first record of a juvenile of the species made anywhere, according to the study.
From this fortunate chance encounter, scientists were also able to capture the first 'reliable' photos of the species alive, according to the study.
The young frog is described as having a green body with black spots, long 'yellowish-green' limbs with 'brown crossbars,' and a black stripe that runs from its snout to its ear through its eyes on both sides of its head, according to the study.
The frog's fingers expand into grooved discs at the tips, researchers said.
Researchers used genetic analysis to confirm the identity of the species, the study said.
The frog was found in Yadong County in southeastern Tibet, an autonomous region controlled by China near a disputed China-India border.
According to the study, 16 species of frogs in the Amolops genus are found in this region.
The research team includes JiShan Wang, Shuo Liu, Hengying Wang, Mo Wang and Dingqi Rao.
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