PERTH: Scientists have discovered a new species of glassfrog in the Caribbean foothills. Pictures of the amphibian, with the Latin name Hyalinobatrachium dianae, show a striking resemblance to the famous green puppet.
Like many glassfrogs, the new species has a translucent underside that makes its internal organs visible.
It was discovered by scientists from the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Centre.
According to their website the H. dianae is named in honour of senior researcher Brian Kubicki’s mother, Diane.
Fourteen other glassfrog varieties have been found in Costa Rica, with the last one being described in 1973.
Jodi Rowley, an amphibian biologist from the Australian Museum Research Institute, said Costa Rica was an amphibian hot spot so it was not surprising that another glassfrog had been found there. There are about 150 members of the glassfrog family.
“But it’s exciting to see other people get excited,” Dr Rowley said.
Costa Rica’s frog populations have been decimated by the deadly chytrid fungus, Dr Rowley said.
However, the country had done a good job of conserving frog habitat, the destruction of which was a major threat to many frogs species around the world.The finding was described in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
