Clown frogs, named after their bright colors, were previously thought to contain only two species: white-leaved Lycopodium and triangular Lycopodium.
But the researchers looked at the frogs more carefully. They are widely distributed in Ecuador, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. According to a new study, scientists use genetic analysis to identify these two new species and determine that there may be as many as nine different kinds of Amazon clown frogs. Study co-author Martin Jensen said:
"Two species keep their names, one species has an old name, two species are described as new species, and at least two species are candidates-which means we must collect and analyze more data to see if they are new." A research assistant at the Senkenberg Institute in Frankfurt, Germany and the Department of Reptilia at the Museum of Natural History told Life Science in an email.
After all, it is not a "omnipotent" species: triangle pine. (Santiago R.Ron) is a newly classified tree species, Sophora japonica arndti, about 1.2 inch (30mm) long, found in Bolivia. Another new species, Robinia pseudoacacia vraemi, with an average length of about 1 inch (26.5 mm), is found only in one place in the Amazon basin of Peru.
This new perspective of colorful large yellow croaker hints at the range of amphibian biodiversity in this area. Marcel Kamina, the main author of this study and a researcher at the Catholic University of Ecuador, said that most of them were in danger of extinction before being discovered and protected. Kamina said in a statement:
"Our new research shows once again that we are not even close to understanding the actual species diversity of South American frogs, and even species that are considered to be widely distributed may be threatened." "To protect this biodiversity," he added,
This discovery was published online in the journal PLoS Synthesis on March 1.
This is an original article about life science.