Discoveries

February 23, 2023

A Quiet Existence

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Frogs come in different shapes and sizes – they also vary by ability: Some can turn translucent, for example, while others ooze out deadly venom. And then there are those that are, well, just not such great leapers.

Now, scientists found a species of frog that doesn’t make any sound at all, even the iconic croaking, Science News reported.

In a new study, biologists wrote that they found the tiny frog – nearly one-inch-long – in Tanzania’s Ukaguru Mountains in 2019.

Naming it Hyperolius ukaguruensis, they said the amphibian belongs to a group of seven voiceless species known as spiny-throated reed frogs that reside in East Africa.

But the new frog looks quite different from its relatives: It has smaller eyes and its skin is gold and brown, while the other frogs are green and silver.

The team then conducted a DNA test and found that H. ukaguruensis was genetically distinct from the other spiny-throated reed frogs.

So how do they communicate?

Because they lack a voice, researchers believe the spines on the males’ throats help their female counterparts recognize potential mates via touch.

“We think they may use the spine as something like Braille for species recognition,” the study’s co-author Lucinda Lawson said in a statement. “Without a call, they need some other way to recognize each other.”

Lawson and her colleagues noted that all the spiny-throated reed frogs are in small populations and are more likely to be endangered.

Finding a new member of the species is a major win for conservation efforts as organizations and governments can begin preservation efforts in regions that host the frog groups, they added.

This story originally appeared in the February 23, 2023 newsletter, Quite the Handoff.