Two New Frog Species Discovered in Panama

Ordinarily the discovery of two new frogs species would be only cause for jubilation, and it is, but there’s a catch and it’s a big one. At Omar Torrijos National Park, researchers noticed a frog they suspected might be a new species but it resembled other frogs in the area. It has round finger and toe disks which set it apart from other similar species. Recently the frog was determined to be a new species and has been named Pristimantis educatoris (pictured above). It is only .8 to 1.6 inches long.

The second frog was discovered in a trip to Darien Province, which is near the border of Colombia. This one was named Pristimantis adnus, because ADN is the acronym for DNA in Spanish and the frog was identified as a unique species using DNA analysis.

So what’s the catch? It is called chytridiomycosis, or chytrid fungus. It kills frogs by clogging the skin. So far chytrid fungus has killed many frogs worldwide: “Bd is a very important chytrid fungus because it appears to be capable of infecting most of the world’s approximately 6,000 amphibian species and many of those species develop the disease chytridiomycosis which is linked to devastating population declines and species extinctions.”

The two newly discovered frogs are both threatened by the destructive fungus. The fungus is in Panama’s forests and has been sickening and killing many frogs there, and Panama is a biologically diverse and rich country. The Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project actually manages frog populations in captive breeding programs away from the infected forests, so the species can survive in uncontaminated spaces.

The total number of frogs in Panama and Costa Rica documented by scientists is now 197. There could be many undiscovered species in the areas where these latest two were found.

Image Credit: Andrew Crawford, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Read more: Nature, Nature & Wildlife, frogs

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Gary C.

4:13PM PDT on May 1, 2012

Thankyou....

send a green star

Kenneth D.

11:02AM PDT on Mar 12, 2012

Good news. Proves we do not know it all and have a duty of care

Teresa C.

2:45PM PST on Feb 3, 2012

This is pathetic--poor frogs! I'm assuming you've tried to eliminate the fungus, and failed?

Kristina C.

11:09AM PST on Feb 3, 2012

I hope that this fungus can be contained and no further frogs will die.

Please sign my petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/give-a-pitbull-a-chance/

Brenda T.

10:30AM PST on Dec 29, 2011

I find frogs really fascinating.

Covelo G.

4:24AM PST on Dec 29, 2011

It is only .8 to 1.6 inches long, so cute. Curse you chytrid fungus!

Did you know that the town of Fort Erie, Ontario is considering a proposal to build a 12-story lakeside condominium directly on top of Fowler's Toad habitat, even though the toads are protected under Ontario's Endangered Species Act.

Please send Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and the Mayor of Fort Erie this letter asking them to block the proposal!
http://savethefrogs.com/lake-erie-toads
Thank you, Covelo.

Carole R.

9:53PM PST on Dec 28, 2011

Thanks for the information. Good to hear.

Kathy P.

10:03AM PST on Dec 26, 2011

great news!

Nyack C.

7:19PM PST on Dec 13, 2011

Thanks for the interesting information

Tim C.

12:01PM PST on Nov 12, 2011

thanks