Current:Home > FinanceNew frog species with "groins of fire" discovered in Amazon with colors that resemble flames-LoTradeCoin
New frog species with "groins of fire" discovered in Amazon with colors that resemble flames
View Date:2024-12-23 19:08:49
Germán Chávez is no stranger to the Amazon rain forest, where he says "one can't help but get excited" by all the reptiles and amphibians that he has made a career out of studying. But when he came across one frog, all he could think was "Bloody hell!"
It all happened when he went to the Amazon lowlands in central Peru with fellow researcher Wilmar Aznaran. The area is frequented often, he said, which made them both "quite surprised and kind of speechless" when they came across a new frog species, which he said in a blog post is "clearly different from any other similar species."
"That was evident for us at the very moment we caught it," he said. "...We could not believe that a medium-sized arboreal frog had passed in front of other researchers' eyes, and remained unseen."
They soon realized the frog before them "is not a common species in the area." They were only able to find two of the frogs, even after going back to the site a few months after the original encounter.
"At that point, we knew that we had a new species on (our) hands, but describing it with only two specimens was challenging," Chávez said in his blog post.
Eventually, they got some other team members on board so they could further conduct their study, published in Evolutionary Systematics earlier this month. They found the frogs have orange patterns on their groins, thighs and shanks that "resembles flames," Chávez said – just "like those threatening its habitat." This led to the determination of its name, Scinax pyroinguinis, which translates to "groins of fire."
Wildfires are a "serious threat" to their habitat, as the flames continue to threaten the Amazon rainforest at large.
In September, the rainforest had its worst months for fires in more than 10 years, according to the Associated Press, citing national Brazil data. During that month, the media outlet reported that there were more than 42,000 fires within 30 days. Those fires destroyed 434 square miles of rainforest the outlet reported, an area more than 100 square miles bigger than New York City.
- In:
- Amazon
- Peru
- Wildfire
- frogs
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
veryGood! (7324)
Related
- A pair of Trump officials have defended family separation and ramped-up deportations
- California could ban Flamin' Hot Cheetos and other snacks in schools under new bill
- Riders can climb ‘halfway to the stars’ on San Francisco cable car dedicated to late Tony Bennett
- Climate protestors disrupt 'An Enemy of the People' while Michael Imperioli stayed in character
- Target will be closed on Thanksgiving: Here’s when stores open on Black Friday
- Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett mourning death of his younger brother, Nathan Barrett
- HBCU internships, trips to Puerto Rico: How police are trying to boost diversity
- Wide receiver Keenan Allen being traded from Chargers to Bears for a fourth-round pick
- 'Serial swatter': 18-year-old pleads guilty to making nearly 400 bomb threats, mass shooting calls
- AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the race to replace Kevin McCarthy
Ranking
- 10 Trendy Bags To Bring to All of Your Holiday Plans
- SpaceX's Starship lost, but successful in third test: Here's what happened in past launches
- Inside Bachelor Alum Hannah Ann Sluss’ Bridal Shower Before Wedding to NFL’s Jake Funk
- NWSL kicks off its 12th season this weekend, with two new teams and new media deal
- Stop smartphone distractions by creating a focus mode: Video tutorial
- Suspected tornadoes kill at least 3 in Ohio, leave trail of destruction in Indiana, Kentucky
- Your ACA plan's advance premium tax credit may affect your refund or how much you owe.
- Conferences and Notre Dame agree on 6-year deal to continue College Football Playoff through 2031
Recommendation
-
Everard Burke Introduce
-
Gerald Levin, the former Time Warner CEO who engineered a disastrous mega-merger, is dead at 84
-
Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes Teaming Up for Delicious New Business
-
TikTok could draw a range of bidders, but deal would face major hurdles
-
Daniele Rustioni to become Metropolitan Opera’s principal guest conductor
-
Ex-Tennessee Titans scout Blaise Taylor charged after deaths of girlfriend, unborn child
-
The Best Wedding Gift Ideas for Newlyweds Who Are Just Moving in Together
-
Truck driver accused of killing pregnant Amish woman due for hearing in Pennsylvania