New frog species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh's Adi hills

ITANAGAR: A team of biologists from Delhi University, the Wildlife Institute of India, and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science (USA) discovered a new species of frog in the Adi highlands of Arunachal Pradesh,according to an official statement.

The new frog species has been named 'Adi Cascade Frog' as it was discovered in the Adi highlands of Arunachal Pradesh (Amolops Adicola).

The "Cascade Frogs," according to the experts, are named by their preference for little waterfalls or cascades in running hill streams.

Multiple criteria, including external morphology, DNA, and calling pattern, were used to identify the new species.

The Adi tribe lives in the hills. According to the experts, the literal meaning of Adi is "hill" or "mountain top."

The discoveries were reported in the Journal of Natural History, London, in a scientific publication titled "Phylogenetic position of the little known montane cascade frog Amolops monticola (Ranidae) and identification of a new closely related species from Northeast India."

Over the last five years, biologists have been studying a group of medium to large-sized Cascade Frogs from Northeast India.

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According to Dr. Abhijit Das of the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, the new species was discovered in 2018 while revisiting the century-old Adi expedition and was named after the Adi tribe's home in Arunachal Pradesh, where it thrives during the post-monsoon season.

"This study demonstrates how little is known about one of the most endangered animal groups in northeastern India, frogs. Many frogs in this region are said to be widespread, but many really have small geographic ranges and require specific conservation attention before they become extinct.Northeast India is a treasure trove of species tha science has yet to discover," stated the article's corresponding author, Delhi University Professor S. D. Biju.

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