A new frog species has been discovered in Peru's Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and the buffer zone of Manu National Park, both managed by State-run National Service of Natural Protected Areas (Sernarp) in Amazonian Madre de Dios region.
The minute —yet venomous— find has been named Ameerega shihuemoy after the local Harakmbut word for "poisonous frog."
The discovery took place during research works at Cupudnoe River's headwaters within Amarakaeri, where the largest number of these poison-dart frogs have been recorded.
Thus, protecting these rainforest basins proves essential to guarantee the conservation of this, and many other, species.
At under 3 cm, Ameerega shihuemoy belongs to a group of frogs characterized by their brightly-colored bodies, which correlate with their toxic self-defense mechanism.
The discovery engaged researchers from Universidad Nacional de San Agustin's Museum of Natural History (Arequipa region), Universidad de San Antonio Abad’s Museum of Natural History (Cusco region) and Crees Foundation.
Other collaborators include the Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine - College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences (University of Glasgow), the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of Michigan), the Section of Amphibians and Reptiles at Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Peru's Biodiversity Museum, as well as Amarakaeri's park rangers.
Lastly, Sernanp highlighted the finding as "a sign that Peru boasts priceless undiscovered biodiversity that is sheltered in natural protected areas for future generations, and the natural balance of these ecosystems."
(END) NDP/MAO/DHT/MVB