Men take care of chicks: New mini frog species discovered in Australia

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

The chicks are cared for by males
New mini frog species have been discovered in Australia

In the Australian National Park, researchers have discovered a hitherto unknown frog species. Small waterfalls seem to exist only in the cool forest surrounding a mountain. Specialization in: Men have a special role to play in brooding care.

In the newly discovered frog species in Australia, male birds carry frogs on their bodies. Researchers have found a 16-millimeter small animal on a mountain in Wollongong National Park. This is only 4 of the 4,000 known frog species worldwide, according to a New South Wales Environment Ministry scientist. Michael Mahoney From the University of Newcastle.

Genetic analysis by the University and the South Australian Museum shows that it is a separate species closely related to the Asa darlingtoni (also known as the pie or hip pocket frog). Small waterfalls inhabit only about 2,000 hectares on Mount Warning Mountain, which the tribes call Mount Volampin. Based on the place where they were found, they were baptized in Asa Wollum.

Regional Environment Minister Matt Keane said the New South Wales government had taken immediate action to protect small populations. “This incredible discovery shows how little we know about the world around us,” he said. According to Keane, its small population makes the frog highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. “In order to ensure the survival of this spectacular frog species that lives at high altitudes in the cold forest, a nature conservation action plan is being developed.”

Wollamba National Park is located in the Gondwana Rainforest on the border of New South Wales and Queensland. Rainforests have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.