Day 12: Ten slimy new species in Columbia

Columbian glass frog, possibly new to science. Photo by Marco Rada, courtesy of Conservation International Colombia.

Ten potentially new species, most of them frogs, have been reported living in a mountainous area near Colombia’s border with Panama, a remote diversity hotspot the discoverers are now calling a “Noah’s Ark.”

Herpetologists from Conservation International in Colombia and ornithologists from the Ecotrópico Foundation led the discovery expedition into the Tacarcuna area of the Darien, with the support of the local Emberá community of Eyakera. In three weeks, the scientists identified about 60 species of amphibians, 20 reptiles and nearly 120 birds.

The species believed to be new to science include a spiky-skinned, orange-legged rain frog, three poison dart frogs and three glass frogs, which boast transparent skin revealing internal organs.

Amphibians are important indicators of ecosystem health. With porous, absorbent skin, they are the first to be sickened by acid rain, or contamination from heavy metals and pesticides that can also harm people.

Colombia holds one of the most diverse amphibian communities in the world, with 754 species currently recorded. The country’s Minister of Environment Juan Lozano said the findings affirm Columbia’s status as global “leaders in natural diversity.”

“Without a doubt this region is a true Noah’s Ark,” said  Jose Vicente Rodriguez-Mahecha, scientific director of Conservation International in Columbia. ”The high number of new amphibian species found is a sign of hope, even with the serious threat of extinction that this animal group faces in many other regions of the country and the world.”