Otherworldly 'Lord of the Rings' frog discovered in the mountains of Ecuador

By Sascha Pare
published 1 day ago

A previously unknown frog species was discovered in Ecuador and named after fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien.



A frog clings to a tree branch.
The newly discovered species of stream frog was named after fantasy author J. R. R. Tolkien. (Image credit: Juan Carlos Sánchez-Nivicela / Archive Museo de Zoología, Universidad San Francisco de Quito)


Scientists in Ecuador have discovered a newfound species of stream frog with pale pink eyes and gold-speckled toes that looks like it came straight out of Middle-earth. That's why the researchers who discovered it named it Hyloscirtus tolkieni after J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of "The Hobbit'' and "The Lord of the Rings" books.

"The new species of frog has amazing colors, and it would seem that it lives in a universe of fantasies, like those created by Tolkien," Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia(opens in new tab), director of the Museum of Zoology of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) and associate researcher of the National Institute of Biodiversity in Ecuador, said in a statement(opens in new tab).

The researchers describe the "Lord of the Rings'' frog in a study published Jan. 19 in the journal
ZooKeys. H. tolkieni is 2.6 inches long (6.5 centimeters) and grayish green in color. Black spots dot its golden-yellow throat, belly, flanks and the undersides of its legs. The frog's fingers and toes too, are covered in black specks and broad skin stripes. The creature boasts an arresting pair of dusty pink eyes with black irises, which reminded the researchers of the otherworldly animals in their beloved author’s fantasy worlds.

Scientists discovered H. tolkieni in the Río Negro-Sopladora National Park, a largely unstudied area of pristine páramo (alpine tundra) and cloud forest protected since 2018 and covering more than 185,000 acres (75,000 hectares). Like other species of stream frog, this critter lives in the clear mountain rivers and streams of the high Andes. Tadpoles mature near rocks in the rapids, while adult stream frogs prefer the protection of lush vegetation on the river banks.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/otherworldly-lord-of-the-rings-frog-discovered-in-the-mountains-of-ecuador