07-05-2025
‘Large'-eyed creature with ‘slender' toes found lurking. It's a new species
World 'Large'-eyed creature with 'slender' toes found lurking. It's a new species
Scientists found a 'large'-eyed creature with 'slender' toes lurking in rock formations in China and discovered a new species, a study said.
Photo from Han-Ming Song via Song, Qi, Wang, Gong, Liu and Wang (2025)
A nighttime storm rolled across southern China, dumping rain on some rock formations and drawing a 'long'-legged creature out of its hiding place. A beam of light cut through the dark and it tried to jump away.
Visiting scientists caught the 'large'-eyed animal — and discovered a new species.
Researchers hiked into the rocky karst forests of Guangdong province in May 2024 to survey wildlife. The area sat within 'one of the largest and most biodiverse' karst landscapes, but its diversity had gone 'significantly underestimated,' according to a study published May 7 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
During some of the rainy night hikes, researchers found several unfamiliar-looking frogs and, after taking a closer look, realized they'd discovered a new species: Odorrana calciphila, or the limestone odorous frog.
A male (top) and female (bottom) Odorrana calciphila, or limestone odorous frog.
Photos from Han-Ming Song via Song, Qi, Wang, Gong, Liu and Wang (2025)
Limestone odorous frogs are considered 'small,' reaching less than 2 inches in length, the study said. Their 'flat' heads have 'large,' black eyes with 'golden speckles' and 'obtuse' snouts. Their skin is 'relatively smooth' with some 'tiny flat' bumps, forming a 'worm-like texture.' They have 'long' legs with 'slender' toes.
Photos show the varied coloring of the new species. The frogs are generally brown 'with a scattering of irregular moss-like green speckles,' researchers said. Seen from below, they have pinkish bellies and 'pinkish-purple' thighs.
The underside of an Odorrana calciphila, or limestone odorous frog.
Photo from Han-Ming Song via Song, Qi, Wang, Gong, Liu and Wang (2025)
One limestone odorous frog had some 'abnormal' bumps on its stomach, likely 'caused by disease such as the parasitic infection,' the study said and a photo shows.
The new species 'only appeared on the completely dark and heavily rainy nights and rapidly jumped away as soon as they were exposed to flashlights,' researchers said. 'This behaviour may imply that this species is accustomed to the moist and low-light environment,' such as underground caves.
Several Odorrana calciphila, or limestone odorous frogs.
Photos from Han-Ming Song and Yong-Heng Zhu via Song, Qi, Wang, Gong, Liu and Wang (2025)
Limestone odorous frogs were found in 'damp limestone formations' within the forest at elevations of about 1,000 feet, the study said.
Researchers said they named the new species 'calciphila' after the Latin words for 'karstic' and 'beloved' because of its 'characteristic of inhabiting the karst landscapes.'
So far, limestone odorous frogs have only been found in two sites in neighboring counties of Guangdong Province, a region of southern China.
The new species was identified by its finger size and shape, body size, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. A DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 4% genetic divergence from related frog species.
The research team included Han-Ming Song, Shuo Qi, Hao-Tian Wang, Yue-Ning Gong, Yang Liu and Ying-Yong Wang.
Aspen Pflughoeft
McClatchy DC Go to X Email this person
Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She is a graduate of Minerva University where she studied communications, history, and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
