Current Event: India’s New Night Frogs

Scientists recently announced the discovery of seven new species of frogs in India. Four of these new species are among the tiniest known frogs in the world, small enough to gather more than one on a 5-rupee coin (the rupee is the chief monetary unit of India). Most night frogs live in forest streams, have large webbing on their feet to swim around their aquatic habitat, and emit loud calls. Some can reach up to 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long. Finding night frogs has never been an easy task, but the habits and smaller size of the newly found frogs make them even more elusive. The newly discovered night frogs live mainly beneath damp soil or dense, wet vegetation, not in the water like most night frogs. They are also much quieter than other night frogs, featuring an insectlike call similar to the chirp of a cricket. Plus, four out of the seven species are extremely small. It is no wonder they went undiscovered for so long!

A newly discovered and identified Robinmoore’s night frog has plenty of leg room on the Indian 5-rupee coin. Credit: © SD Biju

Objective:

Frogs are small tailless animals with hairless skin and bulging eyes. Almost all frogs also have long, strong back legs. Such legs enable a frog to leap distances far greater than the length of its body. Frogs live on every continent except Antarctica, but tropical regions have the greatest number of species. Frogs are classified as amphibians. Frogs and toads are not really different animals. Rather, toad is a familiar term that refers to a specific type of frog. Some species spend their entire lives in or near water. Others live mainly on land and come to the water only to mate. Still other species never enter the water, not even to mate. Many kinds of frogs are climbers that dwell in trees. Others are burrowers that live underground. The Behind the Headlines news story and related World Book articles explore frogs and other amphibians.

Words to know:

• Amphibian
• Frog
• India
• Toad

Discussion Topics:

1. Ask your students what they know about India. (Students might say that it is in Asia; it is the world’s second largest country in population; New Delhi is its capital, and Mumbai is its largest city; a large majority of its population is Hindu; it became an independent country in 1947.)

2. Ask your students, “If you could be any type of scientist what would you study and why?”