Leptobrachium aryatium : New frog species
New frog species ‘Leptobrachium aryatium’ discovered in Assam.
- A new species of frog, named Leptobrachium aryatium, has been officially identified after a 21-year-long study.
- The frog was first studied in 2004 but was originally misidentified as Leptobrachium smithi.
- This species was found in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest, located on the southwestern edge of Guwahati, Assam, bordering Meghalaya.
- It lies adjacent to Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site, and forms a crucial part of the Garbhanga-Rani-Deepar Beel elephant corridor, highlighting its importance in regional wildlife movement.
- The frog has been named after Arya Vidyapeeth College, a prominent educational institution in Guwahati, in recognition of its role in transforming the local area from a liquor brewing hub to an educationally respected zone.
- Leptobrachium aryatium belongs to the Leptobrachium genus, which includes stocky frogs with broad heads, short hind limbs, and distinctively coloured eyes.
- This new species is notable for its fiery orange-and-black eyes, a reticulated throat pattern, and a rhythmic dusk-time call.
- Scientific confirmation of its status as a new species was done through morphological examination, DNA analysis, and bioacoustic studies (study of call patterns).
