Hundreds of new frog species found in Madagascar (CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

(CNN) -- Around 200 new species of frogs have been found in Madagascar, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots.

A study identified between 129 and 221 new species of frogs on the island. The Spanish Scientific Research Council (CSIC), who carried out the study, believe the find could practically double the number of amphibians known in the world if the results are extrapolated at a global scale.

The study, published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA," suggests that the number of amphibian species in Madagascar has been significantly underestimated.

"The diversity of species in Madagascar is far from being known and there is still a lot of scientific research to be done. Our data suggest that the number of new species of amphibians not only has been underestimated but it is spatially widespread, even in well studied areas," said Professor David R. Vieites, CSIC researcher to the press at the Spanish National Natural Sciences Museum in Madrid.

"For example, two of the most visited and studied national parks, Ranomafana and Mantadía/Analamazaotra, harbor 31 and 10 new species respectively."







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more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/05/06/eco.madagascar.frogs/index.html

[annabanana]

1. Gorgeous pictures... I have always rather liked frogs...

I never found them icky..

[eppur_se_muova]

2. They DON'T cause warts -- if only that superstition had never gotten started

I doubt that many people would find them "icky".

Wet nose on a dog? Endearing. Wet all over? Even better! :D

[Towlie]

3. How do you know? maybe these new Madagascar frogs do.

:rofl:

[stuntcat]

4. Rec! for evolution.

:headbang: now I wanna see cool new turtles.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. ... and they're all intersexual, have 3 eyes, and believe Oswald acted alone.

It's the phthalates, I tell ya!

--d!