A team of scientists from the University of Delhi and Harvard University has discovered five new species of tiny horned frogs in India's eastern Himalayas. This discovery more than doubles the number of known species within the Jingophrys group.
Among the newly identified species is Jingophrys tanogogo, also known as the snail-eating horned frog. This marks the first time a frog in India, and a member of its family, has been recorded with a diet of snails.
The research, published on 11 November in the Royal Society Open Science journal, suggests the Himalayas have played a more significant role in frog evolution than previously understood. DNA analysis indicates that the horned frogs rapidly diversified in the eastern Himalayas as the mountain range rose and the Asian monsoon took shape over millions of years.
Dr. Sonali Garg, who led the study at Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology, highlighted that the research shows how major evolutionary changes can go unnoticed in little-studied species. Local tribes provided essential field support and knowledge, with some species named after these communities.