Guwahati: In a breakthrough that dramatically reshapes the amphibian landscape of India, researchers have discovered 13 new species of bush frogs across Northeast India, marking one of the most significant biodiversity findings in recent years.
The discovery, published in Vertebrate Zoology, follows eight years of intensive fieldwork conducted across the region’s rugged mountains, deep valleys and mist-laden forests.
This milestone is the result of a multi-year taxonomic investigation led by Bitupan Boruah, a PhD researcher at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), along with renowned herpetologist Dr. Abhijit Das of WII and Dr. Deepak Veerappan of the Natural History Museum, London, and Newcastle University, UK.
The newly discovered species highlight the remarkable yet under-appreciated amphibian diversity of the Northeast, a region uniquely positioned at the intersection of two global biodiversity hotspots—the Himalaya and the Indo-Burma region. Bush frogs are notoriously cryptic, with many species appearing nearly identical, making it difficult to distinguish one from another based on physical appearance alone.
Of the 13 species described, six were found in Arunachal Pradesh, three in Meghalaya, and one each in Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur.
Each species carries the imprint of its landscape and local culture through its scientific name and type locality.
These include Raorchestes lawngtalaiensis from Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary in Mizoram; Raorchestes barakensis from Lakhicherra in the Barail Wildlife Sanctuary of Assam; Raorchestes eaglenestensis from Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh; Raorchestes magnus from Tiwari Gaon in Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh; Raorchestes dibangensis from Abango near Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh; Raorchestes nasuta and Raorchestes orientalis from Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh; and Raorchestes arunachalensis from Rengging in the Adi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh.
The list also includes Raorchestes narpuhensis from Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya; Raorchestes monolithus from Pumdunlog in Senapati district, Manipur; Raorchestes khonomafrom near Khonoma in Nagaland; Raorchestes boulengeri from Cherrapunji in Meghalaya; and Raorchestes mawsynramensis from Mawsynram, also in Meghalaya.
This study stands out not only for the number of new species discovered but also for its extensive and rigorous methodology.
The researchers used an integrative framework that combined acoustic analysis, DNA sequencing and detailed morphological examinations, enabling them to untangle long-standing taxonomic puzzles surrounding the tiny “tik…tik…” bush frogs that shape the forest soundscape across the Northeast.
The team also examined century-old museum specimens housed in major natural history museums abroad, revealing hidden identities and correcting several historical inaccuracies.
The discoveries stem from intensive field surveys spanning 81 localities in eight Northeastern states, including 25 Protected Areas.
The research not only unveiled new species but also revised the known distribution of several existing ones, synonymised four previously described species, and raised the total number of bush frog species recorded in India from 82 to 95.
These findings pave the way for deeper insights into the ecological roles, habitat requirements and conservation priorities of these frogs, many of which are likely to be highly 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, carried out between 2019 and 2024, received support from the National Geographic Society and the Meghalaya Biodiversity Board.
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