Latest news with #frogs
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Hundreds of endangered frogs have survived after reintroduction to the wild in Victoria
Captive-bred critically endangered frogs are managing to survive after being released at a mountain stream near Mount Beauty in Victoria, with some small frogs found about a kilometre from where they were dropped off. More than 600 spotted tree frogs have so far joined dwindling wild populations in the Kiewa River system, as part of a Zoos Victoria conservation breeding program designed to boost numbers and genetic diversity after 50% of the frog's habitat was severely burnt in the 2019-20 black summer bushfires
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Three New-To-Science Frog Species Discovered In Peru's Remote Andes
These tiny frogs remind us of how little we know about the biodiversity of the Andes Mountains. A stream in northern Peru that is close to where the bromeliad-dwelling frog, Cutin del yonque ... More (Pristimantis yonke), was discovered. (Credit: Germán Chávez) An international team of scientists recently reported their discovery of three new species of frogs in the Andes. These elusive frogs were located high in the misty peaks of the Cordillera de Huancabamba, rugged and isolated terrain located in the far northwestern reaches of Peru (Figure 1). Significantly, just south of the Cordillera de Huancabamba lies one of the lowest mountain passes in the Andes: The Abra de Porculla, at 2145m (7037 feet) above sea level. This feature provides a dispersal pathway for organisms from the Amazon region to move westward to the Pacific lowlands and vice versa, thereby changing their natural biogeographic ranges. 'Going to the Amazon forest in Peru is perhaps the most joyful way to do your work. The chances to find so many frogs, lizards, snakes, turtles, and even caimans are really high, so one can't help but get excited,' the study's lead author, herpetologist and ecologist Germán Chávez, wrote in a guest blog. Dr Chávez is a Research Associate at the Centro de Ornitología y Biodiversidad. Figure 1. Map showing localities of distribution of the new Pristimantis species. White square = P. ... More chinguelas type locality, red triangle = P. nunezcortezi type locality, blue star = P. yonke type locality and blue romboid = second known locality for P. yonke. Between 2021 and 2024, Dr Chávez and collaborators conducted several surveys during both the rainy season (2021, 2023) and dry season (2023, 2024). They hiked steep treacherous trails for 5 and 6 hours in the darkness of night whilst combing through mossy forests and wet páramo as they searched four sites in the Cordillera de Huancabamba for the elusive amphibians. 'Exploring this area is more than fieldwork,' observed one of the study's co-authors, herpetologist Karen Victoriano-Cigüeñas, 'it's an immersion into wilderness, culture, and resilience.' 'Many of these mountain ridges are isolated, with no roads and extreme terrain,' another of the study's co-authors, herpetologist Ivan Wong, remarked in a statement. 'The weather shifts within minutes, and the steep cliffs make every step a challenge. It's no wonder so few scientists have worked here before. But that's exactly why there's still so much to find.' Searching treacherous mountainous terrain for tiny frogs in the darkness of night. (Credit: Germán ... More Chávez) 'Active searches were performed by carefully scanning the ground, vegetation, and water edges using headlamps to detect amphibians,' the authors wrote in their study (ref). 'Each survey was focused on multiple different microhabitats to ensure comprehensive coverage, with particular attention to riparian zones, streams and moist areas.' As you probably can imagine, it was very difficult finding these frogs, but the team's persistence paid off – after a series of short expeditions over a period of years, they had finally discovered three new species of frogs. After morphological revisions and genetic analyses, Dr Chávez and collaborators concluded that three frogs in this collection represent new species to science. Composite photo: Left: Chingula Cutin (Pristimantis chinguelas), Middle: Elio's cutin (Pristimantis ... More nunezcortezi) and Right: Cutin del yonque (Pristimantis yonke). (Credit: Germán Chávez) The Chingula cutin, Pristimantis chinguelas, is named in honor of Chinguelas Hill, in the farming community of Segunda y Cajas, where it was discovered. This frog is easily recognized by the long tubercles on the sides of its body. Its emits a high-pitched 'peep' that can be heard echoing on humid nights. Elio's cutin, Pristimantis nunezcortezi, occurs in cool mountain streams in regenerating forest. Its black groin distinguishes it from the other new frog species. It was named in honor of conservation ornithologist Elio Iván Núñez Cortez, who was the Field Coordinator for Nature and Culture International in Peru and a passionate defender of the Huancabamba mountain range. Its call is so far unknown. Cutin del yonque, Pristimantis yonke, is the smallest of the three new frogs. It was discovered nestled inside local bromeliads at nearly 3,000 meters in elevation. Its flattened body, pointed head, and grainy texture give it a unique appearance. This frog's name is a tribute to the traditional Andean drink: 'yonke,' which is a sugarcane spirit commonly consumed by locals to endure the highland chill so it's a staple on hikes, camping trips, and at rural celebrations. Its call is unknown. The genus, Pristimantis, is the most diverse group of amphibians with 619 species described so far. Pristimantis frogs are found throughout Central and South America, reaching their highest diversity in the tropical Andes, Ecuador and Peru. Recent studies suggest that the species richness of Pristimantis is underestimated because several cryptic species or species complexes may be hidden within its wide geographic distribution. Although previous research studies have explored several areas of this region, large parts of the Cordillera de Huancabamba still remain unexplored. Cordillera de Huancabamba in the northwestern Andes of Peru. (Credit: Germán Chávez) Although newly described, these frogs' future is uncertain. The Dr Chávez and fellow explorers report that the frogs' habitats are already experiencing degradation, fire damage, and encroachment from expanding agriculture and cattle ranching, as revealed by Global ForestWatch satellite images (more here). At this time it's difficult to know what the conservation status of these frogs is, so the study's authors recommend that the species be listed as Data Deficient under IUCN criteria. 'The Cordillera de Huancabamba is not just a remote range – it's a living archive of biodiversity and cultural legacy,' another of the study's co-authors, herpetologist Wilmar Aznaran, said in a statement. 'And we've barely scratched the surface.' Source: Germán Chávez, Wilmar Aznaran, Ivan Wong, Karen Y. Victoriano-Cigüeñas, Luis A. García-Ayachi, Juan D. Valencia-Málaga, Jesús R. Ormeño, Michael Gulman, Ronal Sumiano-Mejía, Michelle E. Thompson, and Alessandro Catenazzi (2025). Over the top: Three new species of terrestrial breeding frogs (Anura, Terrarana, Pristimantis) from the highlands of the Cordillera de Huancabamba, northwestern Peru, Evolutionary Systematics 9(1):145-166 | doi:10.3897/evolsyst.9.148522 © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | MeWe | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tumblr | Twitter
Times
13-06-2025
- Climate
- Times
Rain at last but age-old patterns are moving fast
R ain at last, sweeping over dust-dry Suffolk in pulse after pulse, thinning as it marched eastwards, as it usually does, but enough to do more than just dampen the parched fields and wet the soil. Rain to refill the water butts and top up garden ponds; to turn dusty roads into brief, shining rivers, raindrops bouncing fatly up in a mist. Rain to move the moss down roofs towards the gutters and knock the petals from the first, spent roses, to wash the trees' dry leaves and conjure worms towards the surface from deep in the soil. Butterflies and bees crept beneath leaves and waited out the first showers some have ever seen; slugs and snails, meanwhile, sallied forth into a freshly welcoming world. Froglets and toadlets, new-minted, used the welcoming wetness of the long grass to disperse from ponds and were hunted by grass snakes, their sinuous bodies shining in the rain.
CBC
18-05-2025
- Science
- CBC
Is it a bird? A bug? Nope, just a spring peeper
The chorus of chirps and peeps fill the evenings each year — and it's a sure sign of spring. But what is making the noise? It's a type of frog called a spring peeper. Widely distributed in eastern North America, including New Brunswick, the spring peeper is only about three to four centimetres long, with females being a bit bigger than males, explained John Klymko, a zoologist with the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre in Sackville. "They're far more conspicuous with their vocalizations than they are visually," he said. "They're a hard species to find. They live in wooded areas, thickets, that sort of thing, around water bodies." At night, Klymko said they can be spotted around water bodies. He said their peeps will quiet down when you approach, but you can see them by their shining eyes. And on warm, wet nights, they might be found crossing roadways. It's much easier, though, to listen for their vocalizations to be aware of their presence, said Klymko. He said the frogs have a vocal pouch, which looks like a balloon, that expands under their chin and amplifies the noise that's produced by pushing air through slits in their mouth. They make two types of sounds. The primary one, said Klymko, is the classic peep noise that males use to draw females in with the hope of mating. Another sound is a short trill that happens when two males interact with each other. "It's just males making the sound," he said. "Some males don't vocalize. They'll hang out near males that are vocalizing and try to intercept females that are coming in, drawn to those calls. "When you think about the abundance of these frogs at a water body, realize that, you know, you're hearing less than half of the frogs out there." For those interested in hearing the springtime peeps, it's best to listen now before the frogs disperse in early June, said Klymko.
Daily Mail
21-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man infected by one of 'world's largest human parasites' after eating raw fish from a lake in India
A 35-year-old Indian man who couldn't urinate learned his problem was being caused by a parasitic worm growing inside him. Disturbing images published by medics who treated the man show the red worm after it emerged out of his bladder, alive and wriggling. Analysis revealed the worm belonged to a species called Dioctophyma renale, commonly known as the 'giant kidney worm'. Interviews with the patient revealed that he commonly ate raw fish from a lake near his home, and medics suspect this was likely how he became infected. Eating raw or undercooked fish is a known way for humans to become infected as these animals can carry the worm larvae inside their bodies. Medics, who treated the unnamed man in the city of Meerut, India, said he came into hospital in June 2015 complaining of being unable to urinate and suffering a fever. Staff who examined his vital signs found he was pale and had an elevated heart rate. Doctors - suspecting he had an infection - admitted him to hospital and gave him antibiotics. They also inserted a catheter - a soft flexible tube that empties urine into a plastic bag - to help empty his bladder. However, on his second day in hospital the patient alerted staff to the presence of a wriggling worm - and some blood - in the catheter bag. A report, published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, details that the 'blood red' worm was 11.8in long with a diameter of 0.13in and had anatomical features identifying it as a male giant kidney worm. The man was lucky that he hadn't been infected with a female specimen as these can grow over 3ft. Medics continued to analyze the man's urine for the next three days but found no additional worms or any traces of any eggs. The man also revealed to medics he had urinated a few of the worms in the past. Concluding their report the authors said the man, after a short period of treatment, left hospital against medical advice so they were unable to follow-up his care. Human infection of giant kidney worm, medically called dioctophymiasis, is very rare. A 2019 review by Chinese researchers only found 37 human cases recorded in medical literature, some being infected with as many as 15 worms. While half of patients had a history of eating raw or undercooked fish or frogs, the potential transmission route was unknown for the remaining half. Drinking un-boiled water where these animals reside is also a potential transmission route. Once in the human body the worm larvae migrate to the kidney where they then grow into adult worms and can live for up to five years. They can cause issues like blocking the flow of urine to the bladder, kidney swelling, and tissue death. Treatment varies depending on the extent of the infection and how much of the kidney has been damaged. Minor cases can be treated with medication, but more serious infections can require surgery, including potentially removal of the entire kidney. Medics have noted that due to its rarity dioctophymiasis is often misdiagnosed among patients. Human infection with giant kidney worm is rare with the parasite more commonly found in carnivorous mammals like dogs, otters, and weasels.
