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Miami Herald

Color-changing creature found ‘calling in wet meadows' in China. It's a new species

In a national park of southern China, a color-changing creature with yellowy eyes sat in the damp grass and called out. The sound was likely intended to attract a mate, but attracted the attention of nearby scientists instead. The calling animal turned out to be a new species. Researchers hiked into the meadows of Nanshan National Park in 2024 to survey wildlife. They suspected the area's amphibian diversity 'might have been underestimated,' according to a study published Feb. 26 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoosystematics and Evolution. During the visit, the team caught several vaguely familiar-looking frogs, the study said. But looks can be misleading, so researchers tested the frogs' DNA. Based on the results, they realized they'd discovered a 'cryptic' new species: Zhangixalus nanshanensis, or the Nanshan tree frog. Nanshan tree frogs are considered 'medium'-sized, reaching about 1.5 inches in length, the study said. They have 'robust' bodies with 'smooth' skin and 'long' legs. Their eyes are 'yellowish-brown,' and their fingers and toes have 'large discs' on the ends. Generally, the new species has a 'grass green' hue with 'some irregularly indigo blue patch(es),' the study said. Male frogs typically have 'yolk yellow' bellies, while females have cream bellies. However, the new species can change color from day to night and in different habitats, researchers said. Individual frogs also vary in color pattern. Nanshan tree frogs were found 'calling in wet meadows' near a pond at an elevation of about 5,800 feet, the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after Nanshan National Park where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it's been found. The park is in Hunan Province of southeastern China and a roughly 1,170-mile drive southwest from Beijing The new species was identified by its body proportions, coloring, finger and toe shape, head shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 2% genetic divergence from other related frog species. The research team included Yuanqiang Pan, Shuo Liu, Ju Chen and Guohua Yu. The team also discovered a second new species: the Daweishan tree frog.