Three new frog species found in Meghalaya

Guwahati, Nov 20: In a landmark scientific breakthrough, researchers have described 13 new species of bush frogs from across Northeast India — and three of these remarkable discoveries come from Meghalaya, reaffirming the state’s standing as one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots.

The three newly described species — Raorchestes narpuhensis from Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary, Raorchestes boulengeri from Cherrapunji (Sohra), and Raorchestes mawsynramensis from Mawsynram — were found in some of Meghalaya’s most rain-soaked and ecologically sensitive landscapes.

These discoveries are part of a multi-year integrative taxonomic study led by Bitupan Boruah and Dr. Abhijit Das of the Wildlife Institute of India, along with Dr. Deepak Veerappan of the Natural History Museum, London. The work combines field acoustics, DNA sequencing, and morphology to unravel hidden amphibian diversity across the region.

This breakthrough is the result of a multi-year taxonomic investigation led by Bitupan Boruah, a PhD researcher at WII, along with renowned herpetologist Dr. Abhijit Das (WII) and Dr. Deepak Veerappan of the Natural History Museum, London, and Newcastle University, UK. Their findings have been published in the latest issue of the international journal Vertebrate Zoology.

The newly discovered species shine a spotlight on the incredible but lesser-known amphibian diversity of the Northeast, a region that straddles two global biodiversity hotspots — the Himalaya and the Indo-Burma region.

Of the 13 species described:

• 6 are from Arunachal Pradesh
• 3 from Meghalaya
• 1 each from Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur

Each species carries the imprint of its landscape and culture through its scientific name and type locality:

• Raorchestes lawngtalaiensis — Ngengpui WLS, Mizoram
• Raorchestes barakensis — Lakhicherra, Barail WLS, Assam
• Raorchestes eaglenestensis — Eaglenest WLS, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes magnus — Tiwari Gaon, Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes dibangensis — Abango near Mehao WLS, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes nasuta — Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes orientalis — Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes arunachalensis — Rengging, Adi Hills, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes narpuhensis — Narpuh WLS, Meghalaya
• Raorchestes monolithus — Pumdunlog, Senapati District, Manipur
• Raorchestes khonoma — Near Khonoma, Nagaland
• Raorchestes boulengeri — Cherrapunji, Meghalaya
• Raorchestes mawsynramensis — Mawsynram, Meghalaya

  

This study is exceptional not just for its number of new species, but also for its wide-ranging methodology. The researchers employed an integrative framework — blending acoustic analysis, DNA sequencing, and detailed morphological study — to untangle long-standing taxonomic puzzles surrounding the tiny “tik…tik…” bush frogs that dominate the forest soundscape of the Northeast.

In addition, the team revisited century-old museum specimens housed in major natural history museums abroad, uncovering hidden identities and correcting historical inaccuracies.

The discoveries stem from intensive field surveys across 81 localities in eight northeastern states, including 25 Protected Areas. The research not only revealed new species but also:

• Revised the distribution of several known species
• Synonymised four previously described species
• Increased India’s bush frog count from 82 to 95 species

The findings open new doors for understanding the ecological roles, habitat needs, and conservation priorities of these frogs — many of which are likely to be range-restricted and potentially threatened.

“This work underscores how much of Northeast India’s biodiversity still remains undocumented,” the authors note. “Integrative taxonomic research is essential to reveal and protect the region’s hidden natural heritage.”

The research was carried out between 2019 and 2024, with support from the National Geographic Society and the Meghalaya Biodiversity Board.

Also Read: Meghalaya to focus on archery under ‘One Sport, One State’ push

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