Two New Species of Endangered Glass Frogs With See-Through Bodies Discovered in Active Mining Sites in Ecuador

Scientists from Universidad San Francisco de Quito found two new species of glass frogs in Ecuador with completely see-through bellies that reveal their heart, liver, digestive system, and eggs in females. Both species were found near active mining areas in the Andes and were named Mashpi glass frog and Nouns glass frog.

Although they may look similar and live just a few miles apart, MailOnline reported that DNA analysis showed that both species are genetically diverse and confirmed that they are distinct species of glass frogs.

(Photo : Unsplash/Zdeněk Macháček)
Alien - glass frog shot on the night with a flash through the leaf

Two New Species of Glass Frogs: Meet Mashpi and Nouns

Study first author Becca Brunner said that the sites where they found the two species are incredibly remote, making it more challenging to discover them. She added that different communities of frogs could be found just a walking distance away from each other.

Furthermore, National Geographic reported that less than 10 miles from Ecuador's capital Quito, the wrinkled slopes of Andes shelter could be found where the threatened spots in the tropics and most biologically diverse areas are situated. At the foot of the Andes valley, there runs a river called Guayllabamba, where the two newly identified species of glass frogs live.

One of them is the Mashpi glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium mashpi) that lives on the southern side of the river in the Mashpi and Tayra Reserves that encompasses 6,200 acres. Meanwhile, the Nouns glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium nouns) was found in the northern flank of the valley in the Toisan Range.

The two species exist at roughly similar altitudes, humidity and temperature. More so, both measure between 1.9 and 2.1 centimeters from snout to vent and have nearly identical bodies. They sport lime-green backs with black spots arranged around yellow spots.

Underneath, their completely-see-through bellies reveal their red heart, white liver, and digestive system, while a pouch of greenish eggs can be seen in females.

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Newly Discovered Glass Frogs Listed As Endangered Species

Glass frogs are from the Centrolenidae family and are one of the 1,000 species of amphibians that are scattered across the Andes, Phys, org reported. Evolutionary biologist Juan M. Guayasamin, the study's co-first author, said that identification of H. mashpi and H. nouns exemplifies Andes' "cryptic diversity."

When they first discovered Mashpi, they confused it with  H. valerioi, a lowland glass frog with a strong physical resemblance to the newly discovered species. But an examination of their calls reveals that they have a different frequency, duration, and timing. More so, DNA analysis confirms that Mashpi is indeed a newly identified glass frog.

But more than finding new species of glass frogs, Guayasamin said that the real challenge is having the time and resources to describe them. Researchers are concerned that the Ecuadorian government's embrace of explorative and extractive mining could threaten the biodiversity in the region.

Therefore, Brunner and Guayasamin recommended listing both as "endangered" species under the guidelines set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because they have suffered from agriculture-related deforestation in the past decades.

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