Rainbow tree frog with orange hands and feet!
Q. Scientists have discovered a new species of tree frog in Australia on Oct 5th 2016. What is it called?- Published on 07 Oct 16a. Litoria bella
b. Cape York Graceful Tree Frog
c. Both of the above
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Both of the above
Scientists have discovered a new species of the green tree frog in Australia
- It has a distinctive set of purple inner things and orange hands and feet
- Called Liotria Bella or Cape York Graceful Tree Frog, this amazing animal was earlier mistaken for Litoria gracilenta or Graceful Tree Frog.
- The species is thought to occur all the way from NE New South Wales to Northern Cape New York Peninsula in Queensland
- Subtle differences between Cape York frogs and their southern counterparts were however noted
- Through examination and comparison of the frog’s colour, body measurements, DNA sequences and calls, the scientists discovered that the frogs on the northern Cape York Peninsula were a distinct species and acquired the name of the Cape York Graceful Tree frog on this account
- The new species of frogs is more closely related to similar frogs in the New Guinea region
- This tree frog is known to exist from Moa Island in the Torres Strait in the north to 20 km south of Coen on the Cape York Peninsula in the south
- Southernmost location of the new species is separated by 220 km from the most northern record of the Graceful Tree frog in the Endeavour Valley near Cooktown
- The frogs have a near-immaculate green dorsum, bright orange digits, bluish purple thighs and white bones and measure 4 cm in length
- Scientific name of the species means beautiful (Bella)
- 31 percent of the frogs are currently threatened with extinction
