Sticky creature — with ‘bright yellow’ groin — found as new species in Madagascar

In the rainforest mountains of Madagascar, a small creature might be unnoticeable to the untrained eye.

But to a group of researchers trekking through the trees, the animal caught their attention.

About one inch long, the “colorful” frog has a brown and green body, easily blending in with its forest surroundings, according to a study published Aug. 29 in the journal Zootaxa.

The discs on the end of its toes are “enlarged” and its skin is smooth, researchers said.

The frog belongs to the family Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, according to the study, but it didn’t match any previous records, and was identified as a new species.

The frog was first collected in 2001, according to the study, but wasn’t formally identified until researchers were taking a closer look at the frog’s genus to clarify independent species.

It was named Platypelis saikamavo, derived from the Malagasy words “saika,” meaning almost, and “mavo,” meaning yellow, because of its similarity to another species but with a key difference.

On the underside of the new species, the lower belly and groin is a “bright yellow” color, according to the study. The yellow color extends to the bottom of the back legs, photos show, and into the crease of the hip.

There are also a few small bumps along the “eyebrow” of the frog that is unique to P. saikamavo, researchers said.

The species are found at high elevations, collected in a range from 3,200 to 5,000 feet above sea level, according to the study.

When researchers went back into the forest to find a recent specimen, the new species was seen “calling on a palm tree,” about 15 feet in the air. Researchers believe the species lives in trees, and “may reproduce in water-filled tree holes or in the leaf axils of undetermined species of palms.”

Because so few of the frogs have been found, researchers said they may be an at-risk species, but more data would be needed to officially classify them as threatened or endangered, according to the study.

The frogs were discovered in a reserve, but widespread deforestation for agriculture surrounding the protected land still threatens the species preserved inside, researchers said.

The new species is found on the Tsaratanàna Massif, a small cluster of mountains, and in Bemanevika, in northern Madagascar.

Irene Wright

McClatchy DC

Irene Wright is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter. She earned a B.A. in ecology and an M.A. in health and medical journalism from the University of Georgia and is now based in Atlanta. Irene previously worked as a business reporter at The Dallas Morning News.