‘Copper’-eyed creature found lurking in Ecuador forest and discovered as new species
In a darkened forest of northern Ecuador, a “long”-limbed creature perched on a bush and called out. Its “copper” eyes scanned the shadowy landscape, but it wasn’t the only one looking around.
Passing scientists spotted the lurking animal — and discovered a new species.
Researchers hiked into the mountainous forests around the Mira River several times in 2023 to survey wildlife, according to a study published Jan. 29 in the peer-reviewed journal Zoological Science. They were primarily looking for some “cryptic” and hard-to-identify frogs.
During the nighttime hikes, researchers found several reddish-brown frogs. They took a closer look at the bumpy animals, tested their DNA and soon realized they’d discovered a new species: Pristimantis praemortuus, or Praemortuus’ rainfrog.
Praemortuus’ rainfrogs are considered “small-sized,” reaching less than an inch in length, the study said. They have “proportionally long limbs” with slightly fringed fingers and toes. Their heads have a “short” snout and “copper” eyes.
Photos show the color variation of the new species. The frogs range from “chestnut to maroon” with stripes on their sides. Seen from below, their bellies are “reddish” with a “distinctive incomplete trapezoidal” marking on their throats.
One Praemortuus’ rainfrog had some green speckles on its back, another photo shows.
Praemortuus’ rainfrogs live in mountainous forests between elevations of 7,200 to 7,900 feet, the study said. The frogs were seen “active at night perching or vocalizing on fern leaves and bushes.”
Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word “praemortuus,” which means “before dying,” to highlight “the importance of describing species before they disappear or become extinct.”
Praemortuus’ rainfrogs may be at-risk due to their “highly restricted” range and “low relative abundances,” but researchers won’t know for sure until further surveys are conducted. So far, these frogs have only been found at two sites in northern Ecuador near the border with Colombia.
The new species was identified by its fingers, toes, throat marking, skin texture, eye color and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 3% genetic divergence from other related frog species.
The research team included Mario Yánez-Muñoz, Juan Reyes-Puig, Carolina Reyes-Puig, Gabriela Lagla-Chimba, Christian Paucar-Veintimilla, Miguel Urgiles-Merchán and Julio Carrión-Olmedo.
The team also discovered three more new species of rainfrog: Broaddus’ rainfrog, Satheri’s rainfrog and Robayo’s rainfrog.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 1:04 PM with the headline "‘Copper’-eyed creature found lurking in Ecuador forest and discovered as new species."
