New species of frog with weird claw thumb discovered in unexplored part of Andes
Researchers have discovered a new species of tree frog on the slopes of a flat-topped mountain in a remote region of the Ecuadorean Andes, which is considered to be one of the richest areas for biodiversity in the world.
According to a study published in the journal ZooKeys, the amphibian has dark brown skin dotted with orange flecks and features a large and unusual claw-like structure protruding from the base of its thumb, known as a prepollex.
At present, it’s not clear what the purpose of this prepollex—which is essentially an undeveloped digit—could be. However, the team of researchers who discovered the frog—led by biologist Santiago Ron from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador—suggest it could be used to defend against predators, or wielded as a weapon to fight other individuals of the same species (for example, when males compete for mates).
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