The east of India became the stage of the rediscovery made by a group of researchers who found two frog species that had not been seen since 1919, more than 100 years ago.
This discovery took place during expeditions carried out between 2020 and 2022 in the Meghalaya region, located in the northwest of the Indian country, as reported in a study published by the scientific journal Herpotozoa. During different night investigations, the researchers managed to capture about a dozen frogs, simply by following the sounds of the animal.
After capturing them, the scientists analyzed the specimens. That’s how they identified two species that were last seen in records from 1919, the year they were considered extinct species. These are the frogs called Raorchestes garo and Raorchestes kempiae.
These frogs are characterized by having small bodies, brightly colored inguinal areas, and large eyes. Raorchestes garo specimens were found in bushes about 2.5 meters high, while Raorchestes kempiae frogs were found in bamboo bushes.
A rediscovery that took more than 100 years
Initially, it was believed that the Raorchestes kempiae species was critically endangered; however, experts suggested reclassifying it as a species of least concern due to its larger number of specimens in the region.
The finding occurred in the Garo hills, in the state of Meghalaya, an area bordering southern Bangladesh, about 1,900 kilometers from New Delhi, the country’s capital. This discovery, 105 years later, became an important advancement in the study of local biodiversity.
Raorchestes asakgrensis, new species discovered in the expedition. Photo: ResearchGate.
Mutation and discovery of a new species
In addition to identifying these species that remained hidden for over 100 years, researchers found that the frogs underwent a transfer from the original genus Ixalus to the genus Raorchestes, representing a kind of mutation.
Furthermore, after the analyses, they discovered a new species of bush frog named Asakgre bush frog. This finding highlighted the importance of continuing to explore biodiverse regions and showcasing the astonishing discoveries that can still be made.
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