Fanged Frog Among 163 New Species Discovered in Mekong River Region of Southeast Asia

WWF International said a gecko with leopard-like spots on its body and a fanged frog that eats birds are among the 163 new species discovered last year in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia. Researchers working for the group have warned that the effects of climate change, plus an upsurge in droughts and floods, pose a serious threat to the diverse habitat that supports these species, as well as the traditional threats such as poaching, pollution and habitat destruction. The environmental group also said scientists discovered 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, two mammals and one bird species in the region.

Fanged frog, or Limnonectes megastomias (WWF International)

The fanged frog, given the scientific name Limnonectes megastomias, lies in wait along streams for prey including birds and insects. Scientists believe it uses its fangs during combat with other males. According to WWF, the species has a greatly enlarged head and enlarged fangs in its mouth. Those fangs are actually growths that protrude from the jawbone.

Males of the species use fangs in male-to-male combat situations and scientists have observed frogs with missing limbs, and multiple scars. There are a number of differences between the males and females of the species. Unlike many other species of frogs, the males are larger than the females, have exceptionally large mouths and powerful jaws that appear to be out of proportion with the rest of its body.

The frog has only been found in three isolated and remote protected areas in eastern Thailand: at medium-to-high altitudes (600-1,500m) at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station (SERS); in Pang Si Da National Park and in the Phu
Luang Wildlife Sanctuary. Remarkably, the SERS area has been the subject of scientific study for more than 40 years, but this frog had escaped detection until now. Source: WWF International

The bottom line is that climate change is profoundly impacting the biodiversity of the Greater Mekong region. It has already been warmed and experienced more frequent and damaging extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods. Climate change is also have an adverse effect on the availability of freshwater, affecting the timing of migration and flowering, among other things. It threatens many of the region's unique species, including some of the ones newly discovered.

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Fanged Frogs, Giant Woolly Rat Found in Crater on Papua New Guinea's Mount Bosavi

A team of scientists from Great Britain, the United States, Hawaii and Papua New Guinea found more than 40 previously unidentified species when they climbed into a crater of Mount Bosavi on the island of Papua New Guinea. This pristine jungle habitat teemed with life that evolved in isolation since the volcano last erupted 200,000 years ago. The biologists discovered 16 frogs which have never been recorded before by science, three new fish, a new bat and a giant woolly rat, which may very well turn out to be the world's largest.

The team of biologists included experts from Oxford University, the London Zoo and the Smithsonian Institution and are believed to be the first scientists to enter the mountainous Bosavi crater. They were joined by members of the BBC Natural History Unit which filmed the expedition for a three-part documentary. They also found a camouflaged gecko, a fanged frog and a fish called the Henamo grunter, named because it makes grunting noises from its swim bladder.

According to the UK Guardian, the discoveries are being seen as fresh evidence of the richness of the world's rainforests and the explorers hope their finds will add weight to calls for international action to prevent the demise of similar ecosystems. They said Papua New Guinea's rainforest is currently being destroyed at the rate of 3.5% a year.

Photo credit:  The Guardian