By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 17: Researchers in Assam discovered a new frog species at the Garbhanga Reserve Forest, a biodiversity hotspot on the outskirts of Guwahati bordering Ri-Bhoi district, and named it after a college.
The discovery was made by Dr Dipankar Dutta, Assistant Professor of Department of Zoology, University of Science & Technology Meghalaya, in collaboration with herpetologists Dr Jayaditya Purkayastha, Dr Jayanta Gogoi and Dr Saibal Sengupta.
An article on the frog species was published in Zootaxa, a New Zealand-based peer-reviewed scientific mega journal for animal taxonomists, on April 14.
The researchers named it Leptobrachium aryatium after the Arya Vidyapeeth College in Guwahati to pay homage to the institution. They were at some point of time associated with this college, either as students or faculty members.
According to the researchers, the frog exhibits unique morphological characteristics that set it apart from its congeners, contributing to a deeper understanding of speciation and evolutionary significance in this group of amphibians.
The discovery also brings attention to the ecological richness of the region, highlighting the urgent need to preserve these fragile ecosystems through sustained conservation efforts and further scientific exploration.
Dutta said this species was first reported in 2001 by his mentor and guide as Leptobrachium smithi — marking the very first report of this genus from India.
After he had completed his post-graduation, his guide Sengupta encouraged him to pursue further research on this species for PhD, as nothing was known about its biology at the time.
Over the years, they carried out extensive studies on its taxonomy, breeding and reproductive biology, life cycle, feeding habits, acoustic patterns, home range, and molecular phylogeny. This comprehensive research ultimately led them to nominate it as a new species.