Scientists have found a new frog species called the Atlantic Coast leopard frog or Rana kauffeldi in and around the surrounding region of the New York City (NYC).
The new species of frog is mainly found in NYC but it is also found in some regions of central Connecticut to north-eastern North Carolina. The scientists reveal that the new frog species is normally found in "open-canopied wetlands interspersed with upland patches." However, the species is also under threat due to loss of its natural habitat in the last few centuries.
In 2008, Jeremy Feinberg, a graduate student at Rutgers University who discovered the new species, noticed the frog while having a walk through the Staten Island. He found that the frog had a distinct chirping sound and began researching on it until he found that the frog was a new species. The latest find makes it the first discovery of a new amphibian species in New York since 1854.
Feinberg also explained that the existence of the new frog species was initially suggested by Carl Kauffeld, the director of Staten Island Zoo and the American Museum of Natural History in 1937. However, after examination, his discovery was dismissed as experts thought that he got confused with other leopard frog species found in the area.
Feinberg revealed that the skin marks on Rana kauffeldi are very similar to the ones found in the other two species of the leopard frog. However, some skin markings on the hind legs of the latest frog species are different.
With the help of bioacoustic analysis and genetic testing, Feinberg was able to prove that the latest found species was a distinct one. Feinberg also suggests that the current techniques were not present when Kauffeld initially found the species, which made experts dismiss the discovery. However, Kauffeld work has been recognized and the latest frog species has been named after him.
"This story underscores the synergy that traditional field methods and modern molecular and bioacoustic techniques can have when used together; one is really lost without the other, but together are very powerful tools," per Feinberg.
The latest discovery highlights that if new species can be found in a populous city like NYC, then there may be more species of animals yet to be discovered by humans.
The research paper that details the discovery of the latest frog species has been published in the journal PLOS One.
