New Frog Species: Minervarya Pentali:
A new frog species was discovered in the Western Ghats and named after former DU Vice-Chancellor and plant geneticist Deepak Pental.
- The new frog species named Minervarya Pentali belongs to the family of Dicroglossidae.
- The family Dicroglossidae comprises 202 species of semiaquatic frogs distributed by the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia and Papua New Guinea.
- The family contains large-sized (e.g., genus Hoplobatrachus) and dwarf species, with a total length about 30 mm (e.g., genus Nannophrys).
- It was discovered from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, extending along the southwest coast of the Indian Peninsula.
- This new species is endemic to the southern Western Ghats.
- This species is also among the smallest known Minervarya (genus) frogs.
