‘Large’ creature with ‘golden’ eyes found near house in India. It’s a new species
In a mountainous town of western India, a “large” creature sat in a puddle outside a home and called out. Its “golden” eyes scanned the surrounding buildings, but it wasn’t the only one looking around.
Passing scientists noticed the friendly sounding animal — and discovered a new species.
Researchers visited Mahabaleshwar in June 2016 to survey wildlife. The town sat within a larger mountain range and biodiversity region known as the Western Ghats, according to a study published Feb. 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
At the edge of town, researchers noticed some unfamiliar-looking frogs in the grassy parking area, the study said. They caught a few of these “large” frogs and, after taking a closer look, realized they’d discovered a new species: Minervarya ghatiborealis, or the Mahabaleshwar cricket frog.
“How (the new species) remained unnoticed by researchers since the inception of amphibian research in India (since 1799) is a mystery,” study co-author K.P. Dinesh said in a news release shared with McClatchy News.
Mahabaleshwar cricket frogs are considered “large,” reaching about 2.5 inches in length, the study said. They have “robust” bodies with “slender” arms, “thin” fingers and “long” legs. Their “golden yellow” eyes are “darker towards the periphery and lighter towards the center.”
Photos show the blotchy coloring of the new species. One frog has an orange tinge, while the other is darker brown. Their bellies are paler cream, and they have a yellow hue on their sides.
Mahabaleshwar cricket frogs were found “during the early monsoon” season and at elevations of about 4,500 feet, the study said. Male frogs were heard calling around puddles “in an open parking area near residential buildings,” and pairs of frogs were seen mating.
Researchers described the new species’ call as having a “somewhat lengthy duration” and including “clearly pulsed notes.”
“The discovery isn’t just about cataloging a new species — it’s a testament to the incredible diversity that still exists in our natural world, often in places we think we know well,” co-author Omkar Yadav wrote in a Feb. 26 Facebook post. “It highlights the intricate tapestry of life and the endless opportunities for exploration and understanding.”
Researchers said they named the new species “ghatiborealis” after the Sanskrit word “ghati,” meaning “mountain pass,” and the Latin word “‘borealis,” meaning “‘pertaining to the north,” because it lives in the Northern Western Ghats.
The new species’ common name refers to the Mahabaleshwar area where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. Mahabaleshwar is in the state of Maharashtra and a roughly 940-mile drive southwest from New Delhi.
The new species was identified by its call, size, texture, coloring, toe webbing and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 6% genetic divergence from other related frog species.
The research team included Omkar Yadav, Amrut Bhosale, Priyanka Patil, Akshay Khandekar and K.P. Dinesh.
This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 11:15 AM with the headline "‘Large’ creature with ‘golden’ eyes found near house in India. It’s a new species."
