Scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York have discovered 8 new species of frogs in Laos over the past two years. Among these new frog species is a male that is only half the size of the female, and another species has a spine that extends down to its abdomen.
 |
One of the 8 new frog species, scientifically named Rana Compotrix B, was discovered by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society in a primary forest in Laos. Image: AP. |
The discovery of these 8 new frog species was published earlier this year in the journal Copeia (the journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists) as well as several other prestigious journals.
Scientist Bryan Stuart, a member of the team that discovered these 8 frog species, told AP reporters: “No scientist has really focused on researching amphibians and reptiles in Laos.”
“Amphibians in Laos are often considered less diverse compared to neighboring countries, so we have found species that seem to have never been documented in science before.”
These 8 new frog species represent the latest discoveries by scientists in a small landlocked country. Some of the species were found in the forests of Laos—forests that have never been explored by foreign scientists due to their remote geography and historical conditions.
These 8 new frog species do not inhabit areas close to villages or rice paddies; instead, they thrive in untouched primary forests.
The exploration of new animal species by scientists continues, and the discovery of these 8 new frog species will serve as a strong impetus for the Laotian government to implement better forest protection policies.
Last year, scientists announced the discovery of a rodent-like animal referred to locally as “kha-nyou” in Laos. This mammal has a face resembling a mouse and a slender body like that of a squirrel. Scientists noted that such an animal was believed to have gone extinct 11 million years ago.
Additionally, scientist Stuart and his research team discovered new species of salamanders in Laos in 2004. He is continually fascinated by new discoveries and remains concerned about the frog species threatened by habitat loss due to reliance on forest ecosystems.
He believes that any tropical region is threatened by human exploitation, including the pristine forests of Laos. Therefore, the world risks losing rare species that we have yet to discover.
Ngọc Huyền
