Bright Green Frogs Near Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Evolved into Pigmented Black Frogs

Scientists found black frogs near the Chernobyl power plant, and they are believed to be an evolved version of the bright green frogs in the area.

Bright Green Frog Turned Into a Mutant Black Frog

According to WION, the species present at the site is an eastern tree frog. The skin of this type is bright green. But researchers operating close to Chernobyl have discovered many of these animals with darker or black pigmentation.

Scientists now believe that the darker skin of the mutant frogs may have aided their survival in the exclusion zone, which now forbids access to 1,000 square miles around ground zero.

Black Frogs in Chernobyl

The co-author of the study, Germán Orizaola, a researcher at the University of Oviedo in Spain, said that they were aware of the frogs the very first night they worked in Chernobyl. He said that they found many frogs that were only black when searching for this species close to the damaged power station.

According to the Daily Mail, the scientists were aware that melanin, which is found in many organisms, including frogs, is what gives them their dark or black coloring. At the same time, melanin is known to defend against radiation damage from UV to ionizing radiation, such as that from Chernobyl.

More than 200 male frogs were gathered for the study by the team from 12 separate mating ponds with various radiation levels.

Frogs in the Exclusion Zone

Frogs inside the exclusion zone were discovered to be significantly darker than those from outside.

Scientists thought that there was a connection between the worst-affected areas back when the catastrophe happened. In other words, the darker frogs were more common today because they had a higher chance of surviving the disaster in 1986. Take note that there was no connection between the darkest frogs and the areas that were exposed to the most irradiation today.

Remarkable Coloration of the Eastern Tree Frog

According to Orizaola, a small fraction of frogs belonging to this species may occasionally display remarkable coloration. Especially at the time of the accident, when radiation levels were substantially higher and the variety of radioisotopes wider, this small fraction would have benefited from melanin's protection.

Based on the scenario, they ought to have fared better than typical green frogs in terms of reproduction and survival. These black frogs would have become predominant inside the exclusion zone over time, which is 10 to 12 generations of frogs that have passed since the disaster. Today's radiation levels are significantly lower, so it's unclear whether the black frogs will continue to dominate.

Black Frogs May Disapper

According to Orizaola, the frogs might disappear because melanin's defensive function isn't as important right now due to significantly lower radiation levels.

The research, published in Evolutionary Applications, also demonstrates that maintaining this black coloration does not appear to come at a substantial cost. For instance, oxidative stress levels do not rise. So it might continue.

One of the reactors at a power plant outside of Pripyat caught fire and detonated in April, dispersing radioactive material into the surrounding area. The town and its surrounding areas had to be evacuated, and more than 160,000 residents were unable to do so, leaving the former Soviet location as a radioactive ghost town.

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