Three new cascade frog species discovered in northeast India; one named in honour of Kerala social worker Padmini Varkey
Scientists have discovered three new species of cascade frogs in Northeast India and documented five others for the first time. The research, led by Delhi University, involved 15 years of field study and honors social worker Padmini Varkey by naming a species after her.
Why it matters
This discovery underscores the immense biodiversity of Northeast India and the importance of long-term environmental research in conservation efforts.
Scientists have discovered three new species of cascade frogs from the biodiverse-rich forests of Northeast India and documented five other species in the country for the first time.
The findings, published in the peer-reviewed Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology , are the culmination of over 15 years of extensive field research across the northeastern States.
The research, led by Prof. S. D. Biju of the Department of Environmental Studies, Delhi University, documented more than 300 geographic populations of cascade frogs inhabiting fast-flowing forest streams. Using DNA analyses along with detailed morphological comparisons of adult frogs and tadpoles, the scientists confirmed that populations from Tripura, Nagaland and West Bengal represent three species previously unknown to science.
Beautiful Cascade Frog ( Amolops bella) | Photo Credit: special arrangement
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