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ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh has once again highlighted its rich natural wealth with the discovery of two new frog species, a finding that strengthens India’s amphibian diversity and underlines the state’s importance as a key biodiversity region in the country.
The newly identified species—Leptobrachium somani (Soman’s Slender Armed Frog) and Leptobrachium mechuka (Mechuka Slender Armed Frog)—belong to the slender armed frog genus Leptobrachium.
Globally, 39 species of this genus are known, of which only four were earlier reported from India.
The discovery was announced in a research paper published in the international scientific journal PeerJ on January 9. The study was authored by A N Dikshit, Akalabya Sarmah, Sonali Garg, Tage Tajo, Radhakrishna Upadhyaya K, James Hanken and S D Biju. The researchers are from the Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, and the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University.
According to the paper, the scientists identified the new species while reviewing fresh field collections using a combination of DNA analysis, morphological characteristics and behavioural observations. The study notes that both species belong to the Leptobrachium bompu species group and show clear genetic differences, confirming them as distinct species.
Samples of the frogs were collected from the Lower Dibang Valley and Shi-Yomi districts of Arunachal Pradesh, regions known for their dense forests and river systems.
Leptobrachium mechuka has been named after the town of Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district, while Leptobrachium somani honours veteran journalist E Somanath, a former senior special correspondent of Malayala Manorama. Experts said the discovery reflects the vast and still unexplored biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh. They noted that the presence of such rare amphibians points to relatively healthy ecosystems, while also highlighting the need for strong conservation measures as habitats face increasing pressure from climate change and human activities.
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein welcomed the discovery, calling it a proud moment for the state.
“The discovery of Leptobrachium somani and Leptobrachium mechuka is a proud moment for Arunachal Pradesh. These newly documented species highlight the rich and still unfolding biodiversity of our state,” Mein said in a social media post. He added that the findings reaffirm the ecological importance of Arunachal Pradesh’s forests and river ecosystems and remind people of their shared responsibility to protect fragile habitats.
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