On a trek across this Atlantic rainforest reserve in southern Brazil, biologist Michel Garey recalled how on his birthday in 2007 he chanced upon what turned out to be a new species of tiny, three-fingered frogs.
"I was doing research with two friends on a hilltop in the reserve and i stumbled into this unusual frog with only three fingers," Garey said. "It happened on February 14, 2007: My birthday. What a treat!" he said.
But it was not until June this year that the discovery of this new species- Brachycephalus tridactylus - was officially established.
A report on his finding was published in Herpetologica, a quarterly international journal focusing on study and conversation of amphibians and reptiles.
The tiny brachycephalus tridactylus was found at an altitude of around 3,000 feet. Its most striking faeture is the absence of a fourth finger, which Garey attributes to an evolutionary process. The frog, which measures less than 1.5-centimeters in length, is mostly orange with olive-gray spots and dots on its body.
Garey said the male frog makes around 30 mating calls a day, sounds he described as "a single short note that decreases in dominant frequency from beginning to end."
Garey said he could not estimate the frog population, but plans to do so in a future research project.
Experts estimate around 950 amphibian species live across Brazil.
But it was not until June this year that the discovery of this new species- Brachycephalus tridactylus - was officially established.
A report on his finding was published in Herpetologica, a quarterly international journal focusing on study and conversation of amphibians and reptiles.
The tiny brachycephalus tridactylus was found at an altitude of around 3,000 feet. Its most striking faeture is the absence of a fourth finger, which Garey attributes to an evolutionary process. The frog, which measures less than 1.5-centimeters in length, is mostly orange with olive-gray spots and dots on its body.
Garey said the male frog makes around 30 mating calls a day, sounds he described as "a single short note that decreases in dominant frequency from beginning to end."
Garey said he could not estimate the frog population, but plans to do so in a future research project.
Experts estimate around 950 amphibian species live across Brazil.
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