Photo: Newly Discovered Boston Rain Frog Expands South Africa's Rain Frog Species

• A new species of rain frog, Breviceps batrachophiliorum, has been discovered in South Africa, expanding the known variety of African rain frogs
• The discovery occurred when frog enthusiasts mistook the new species for Bilbo’s Rain Frog, leading to further investigation and genetic testing
• The Boston Rain Frog, as it is commonly known, is named after the area near Boston in KwaZulu-Natal, with its scientific name honouring those who contributed to its discovery

In South Africa, a group of short-limbed, plump burrowing frogs just welcomed a new member to the species.

There are fourteen species of rain frogs in southern Africa. According to Fascinating Africa, with their rotund bodies and short limbs, these amphibians have a humorous appearance. They seem to have a frown on their faces when viewed from the front. Only in southern Africa, where it lives in savannas, open grasslands, and temperate woodlands, is the common species known as the bushveld rain frog.

However, that seems to be changing, as it was recently found in South Africa, too. In Mzansi, the term is commonly used to refer to African rain frogs (genus Breviceps).

New species discovered in SA

There are about 20 species in the genus Breviceps, and a new species has just been added, according to The South African. Furthermore, this rare frog species was discovered nearly by accident.

The story began with a group of frog enthusiasts who decided to find every species listed in a field guide written by North-West University herpetologist Professor Louis du Preez.

Although they were looking for the elusive Bilbo's Rain Frog (Breviceps bagginsi), they discovered something completely different.

The team thought they had found the Bilbo frog, so they emailed Professor du Preez a picture and a recording of its call to confirm. However, something wasn't quite right.

“There was something curious. I thought they had mixed up the images and the sounds. But when I pointed this out, they sent a video, and that’s when I realised that we were looking at a new species," said du Preez who told The South African.

To confirm the discovery, du Preez and his team carried out genetic testing and morphological analysis, which confirmed that the species was previously unknown and distinct from Breviceps verrucosus. Key differences included a visible eardrum, a unique mouth position, and a call that was notably shorter, faster, and more frequent compared to related species.

All about the Boston Rain Frog

The newly discovered amphibian has been named Breviceps batrachophiliorum, or more commonly, the Boston Rain Frog, after the area near Boston in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands where it was first collected. Its scientific name, meaning "frog-loving people," honours those who contributed to its discovery and documentation.

This includes Marius Burger, Nick Evans, Cormac Price, Dylan Leonard, along with those who provided additional information, as well as the many herpetologists and nature enthusiasts who contributed data to the Southern African Frog Atlas Project between 1996 and 2003.

Take a look at the new species below:

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Source: Briefly News