Two new species of frogs discovered in the Amazon

Two new tiny species of frogs, only a few millimeters long, have been discovered in the Peruvian Amazon, the National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp) announced on Tuesday.

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The two new reddish species were identified a few weeks ago in a forest ecosystem in Yanachaga Chemillén National Park, located at an altitude of 3280 meters, in the Pasco region, in the center of the country.

"This discovery underlines the importance of the Yanachaga mountain range forests, fragile ecosystems that are home to a great diversity of endemic species," Sernanp said in a statement.

AFP

The amphibians, named Phrynopus manuelriosi and Phrynopus melanoinguinis, are distinguished by small tubercles on their eyelids and a red and black coloration. Their size varies from 11 to 27 millimeters.

The discovery was made by researchers from the international organization Rainforest Partnership and the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology.

Yanachaga Chemillén National Park, which covers 122,000 hectares, is home to a great biodiversity, with more than 600 species of birds and numerous amphibians.

In early October, Sernanp had already announced the discovery of a tiny frog species in the Peruvian Amazon. Named Ranitomeya hwata, it measures 15 millimeters and is venomous.