A surprising discovery was made in the Pluvial forests of Costa Ricawhere a group of herpetologists identified one New species of glass frogthe HyalinoBatrachium Dianae. To make this little amphibian famous is not just his translucent appearancebut also a certain similarity with Kermit La Ranathe famous character of Muppet.
This frog, just long 2.5 centimetersis characterized by a bright green coloring and two white protruding eyes with horizontal black pupilswhich give it an almost cartoonian appearance. But the most distinctive trait is thetransparent abdomenThat let it glimpse the internal organs: a typical feature of glass frogs, still under study due to its unknown function.
There H. Dianae lives in the eastern area of Talamanca mountain rangeat an altitude between 400 and 800 meters. It is a species Arborea and nightwho spends most of the time hidden among the Trees of treesgoing down only to reproduce near the streams. His night call, similar to a long whistle of insect, was probably one of the reasons why his presence went unnoticed so long.
A rare discovery
This is the First glass frog discovered in Costa Rica since 1973which makes the discovery in 2015 even more significant, considering the constant threat to local biodiversity. Tropical forests are in fact among the richest ecosystems, but also more vulnerable, and many amphibious species have disappeared in recent decades due to deforestation And Diseases such as the Chytrid mushroomwhich affects the skin of the amphibians.
Despite the nice appearance, the new frog is not docile at all: i males are territorial and actively defend their space from any rivals, often reaching real physical clashes. The discovery of this “real Kermit” is a positive signal For scientific research and for the protection of nature: it shows that, even in an era of loss of biodiversity, there are still Mysteries to be revealed under the leaves of the jungle.
