13 New Amphibian Species Discovered in Hidden Corners of Northeast India

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In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have identified 13 new species of tiny 'tik-tik' bush frogs in Northeast India. Led by researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India, the study spanning five years (2019-2024) used advanced techniques such as acoustics, genetics, and morphology to classify the new species. The findings, published in the journal Vertebrate Zoology, shed light on the region's hidden biodiversity, which is part of two global hotspots. The discovery brings the total number of known bush frog species in India to 95, up from 82. The newly discovered species belong to the Raorchestes genus and were found in six states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur. The research team, consisting of Bitupan Boruah, Abhijit Das, and Deepak Veerappan, used museum specimens from abroad to clarify long-standing classification gaps. The study is a significant step towards understanding the conservation status and ecology of these tiny frogs, which were previously unknown to science.