Discovery of new frog species in Kerala calls for preservation of freshwater ecosystems

​Kozhikode: A team of researchers discovered a new species of freshwater frog from the surroundings of Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary in Ernakulam. The new species has been named Euphlyctis jaladhara. The study describing the species has been published in International Journal Zootaxa, New Zealand.

The researchers from Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Mount Carmel College (MCC), Bengaluru, and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar is the team behind the discovery. The team comprises Dr KP Dinesh from ZSI Pune, Dr BH Channakeshavamurthy from ZSI Kozhikode. MCC’s Dr P Deepak, NISER’s Dr Koushik Dhyuthi and Dr. Avarajel Gosh.

According to Dr KP Dinesh, spotting of the new species calls for preservation of freshwater ecosystems. The species was first found in water sources near Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary in Ernakulam. Later it was spotted on the coastal stretch between Kerala and Gujarat

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