Latest news with #AlexanderTamaniniMônico
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Toxic'-skinned creature with ‘large' hands discovered as new species in Brazil
As dawn sunlight seeped through the canopy of the Amazon rainforest, a colorful creature with 'toxic skin' climbed down plants using its 'large' hands. Stopping on a leaf, it let out a 'cricket-like' call intended to attract a mate — but attracted nearby scientists instead. The calling animal turned out to be a 'remarkable' new species. A team of researchers trekked into the Juruá River basin of northwestern Brazil, 'one of the most difficult (to access) and least sampled regions in the entire' Amazon rainforest, in 2023 and 2024 to survey wildlife, according to a study published May 14 in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One. During their visits, researchers heard some 'cricket-like' trills coming from the trees and found dozens of brightly colored frogs, the study said. Intrigued, they captured several of these frogs, took a closer look at them and analyzed their DNA. Researchers soon realized they'd discovered a new species: Ranitomeya aetherea, or the heavenly poison dart frog. Heavenly poison dart frogs are considered 'small,' reaching about half an inch in length, the study said. They have 'toxic skin' and 'robust' bodies with 'slender' arms and 'relatively large' hands. Photos show the 'dark reddish-brown' coloring of the new species. Several 'sky-blue' stripes run down its back, and its legs have a 'copper metallic' hue. Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for 'heavenly' because its colorful stripes are 'a shade of blue reminiscent of the sky. In addition, we attribute this name to one's feeling of enchantment and delicacy when encountering these frogs, as if they were from outside this world.' Heavenly poison dart frogs are 'active mostly in the early morning and late afternoon' and usually found in palm plants, sometimes about 13 feet off the ground, the study said. The frogs were seen 'agilely' climbing, foraging for food and calling to attract a mate. Male frogs seemed 'territorial' and likely have 'a promiscuous mating system.' So far, heavenly poison dart frogs have only been found at one site in the Juruá River basin in the state of Amazonas, near the border with Peru, the study said. The new species was identified by its call sound, tadpoles, size, coloring, toe shape, skin texture and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 2% genetic divergence from other related species. The research team included Esteban Diego Koch, Alexander Tamanini Mônico, Jussara Santos Dayrell, Anthony Santana Ferreira, Silionamã Pereira Dantas, Jiří Moravec and Albertina Pimentel Lima.
Miami Herald
25-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Poisonous frog calling ‘incessantly' for captured mate is new species in Brazil
In the forests of western Brazil, along the banks of a Juruá River tributary, researchers came upon more than a dozen tiny creatures, smaller than a nickel, flaunting bright colors that warned: 'stay away.' They were poison dart frogs, and they were unlike any others the expedition team had seen before. Jet back with metallic turquoise-green stripes and orange 'chrome' limbs, these frogs were members of a new species, according to an April 25 study published in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys. Ranitomeya aquamarina, or the metallic poison frog, is the first new poison frog species of the Ranitomeya genus discovered in 13 years, according to researchers. According to the study, the frogs were found in one section of preserved forest along the Eiru River, specifically clustered around bananeira brava plants, suggesting the species prefers the habitat these plants create. The adult frogs were usually observed as couples, suggesting they are monogamous, according to the study. 'When we captured the females, the respective males called incessantly,' researchers said. The metallic poison frog, active during daytime hours, has a long-lasting trill, or call, of 21–45 notes. While perched on leaves, the males begin calling out at dawn and vocalize for several hours before trailing off in the late morning. Frogs may call to find a mate or establish their territory, according to experts. When researchers played a recording of their own calls, the males acted territorial, responding to and approaching the sound, according to the study. The species was noted to be active all day on rainy days. 'Metallic' warning colors In life, the metallic poison frogs, just over half an inch big, have 'bright and aposematic' coloring, which is used as a defensive adaptation to warn predators they are toxic and don't taste good. The species is described as having a jet black body with parallel metallic stripes ranging from light turquoise to pale yellowish green. Their limbs are a 'metallic chrome orange' with dark crimson spots. They have relatively large hands and disc-shaped fingertips, several of which are significantly larger than the others, making them 'very agile,' according to the study. Researchers said they don't believe the metallic poison frog is abundant throughout its range as it was only found in one of the four sites they searched. More information is needed to determine its conservation status. The Eiru River is a tributary of the Juruá River in Brazil's Amazonas state. The research team included Alexander Tamanini Mônico, Esteban Diego Koch, Jussara Santos Dayrell, Jiří Moravec and Albertina Pimentel Lima.
