A tiny frog that’s smaller than a penny has been discovered deep in a jungle.
The poisonous amphibian measures only 15.4mm to 18.5mm.
The frog species – called Ranitomeya aquamarina – was described for the first time in the scientific journal ZooKeys.
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It was found along the Eiru River near Eirunepé in Brazil’s Amazon jungle.
It is the first new species of the genus Ranitomeya to be described in more than 13 years.
The frog has stripes down its back that are “metallic pale yellowish green to metallic pale turquoise-green”.
And its limbs are “metallic chrome with dark carmine spotting”, according to the researchers, as reported on What’s The Jam.
Alexander Tamanini Mônico et al. believe its psychedelic appearance serves to warn predators of its toxicity.
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The boffins were also taken aback by its apparent monogamous behaviour, which is rare among amphibians.
They wrote: “Most of the time, we observed adults as couples…
“(W)hen we captured the females, the respective males called incessantly.”
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Despite their glee at the discovery, the experts warn that Ranitomeya aquamarina may not be abundant.
The species was only found in one of four sites surveyed by the research team.
More studies are needed to determine its conservation status.
Mônico wrote on social media that the new species is “one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in my life”.
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