#new frog

[c0smic-horrorwerewolf]

Meet lemon my new kid

[markscherz]

Meet the seven new frog species we just named after iconic Star Trek captains!

Artwork by A. Petzold, CC BY-ND 4.0

At the right time of year along rushing streams in the humid rainforests that stretch the length of Madagascar's eastern and northern mountain ridges, otherworldly trills of piercing whistles can be heard.

Are they birds? Insects? Communicator beeps? Tricorder noises?

No, they're little treefrogs!

Boophis janewayae. Photo by M. Vences, CC BY-SA 4.0

Until recently, we thought all of the populations of these little brown frogs across the island were one widespread species, Boophis marojezensis, described in 1994. But genetics in the early 2000s and 2010s showed that there were several species here, not just one.

Now my colleagues and I have shown that they are in fact eight separate species, each with unique calls!

These whistling sounds reminded us so much of Star Trek sound effects that we decided to name the seven new species after Star Trek captains: Boophis kirki, B. picardi, B. janewayae, B. siskoi, B. pikei, B. archeri, and B. burnhamae.

Photos of all new species described by Vences et al. 2024. CC BY-SA 4.0

I subtly and not-so-subtly built some Star Trek references into the paper, but probably the best one is this one:

'Finding these frogs sometimes requires considerable trekking; pursuing strange new calls, to seek out new frogs in new forests; boldly going where no herpetologist has gone before.'

— Vences et al. 2024

There’s a real sense of scientific discovery and exploration here, which we think is in the spirit of Star Trek.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that there are at least two Trekkies amongst the authors (including yours truly). As fans of Star Trek, we are also just pleased to dedicate these new species to the characters who have inspired and entertained us over the decades.

On a personal note, this marks a milestone for me, as it means I have now described over 100 frog species! I am very pleased that the 100th is Captain Janeway's Bright-eyed Frog, Boophis janewayae (if you count them in order of appearance in the paper)—she is probably my favourite captain, and I really love Star Trek: Voyager.

You can read more about the discovery of these new species on my website! You can also read the Open Access paper published in Vertebrate Zoology here.

[toyastales]

Gold swivel ring featuring an amethyst frog, from the New Kingdom period of Egypt, dating between 1550-1229 BC.

[egophiliac]

2025 is the year of the DRAGON SLIPPERS

[scurviesdisneyblog]

𝕯𝖎𝖘𝖓𝖊𝖞 𝖛𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘 𝖈𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖕𝖙 𝖆𝖗𝖙 ➔ 𝕱𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝖋𝖎𝖑𝖒 ⬧︎ [𝔭𝔞𝔯𝔱 3]

[retrogamingblog2]

frog on a froggy chair

[caseyiscalico]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article277967818.html

New frogs just dropped.

[destiel-news-channel]

[Image ID: The Destiel confession meme edited so that Dean answers 'Seven 'Star Trek' frog species have been found!' to Cas' 'I love you'. /End ID]

The species have been named after seven Star Trek captains for their "'Star Trek'-esque calls'. Their high-pitched whistling sounds are reminiscent of 'Star Trek' sound effects like the Tricorder noises.

source link

Please welcome Boophis kirki, Boophis picardi, Boophis siskoi, Boophis janewayae, Boophis archeri, Boophis pikei, and Boophis burnhamae! Good to know scientists are just as nerdy as we all are.

[reasonsforhope]

"For over a decade, the Yosemite toad has been recognized as a federally threatened species, after experiencing a 50% population decline during the Rim Fire of 2013.

The wildfire, which encompassed a mass of land near Yosemite National Park, made the amphibian species especially vulnerable in its home habitat. 

Native to the Sierra Nevada, the toads play a key role in the area’s ecosystem — and conservationists stepped in to secure their future.

In 2017, the San Francisco Zoo’s conservation team began working with the National Park Service, Yosemite Conservancy, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the U.S. Geological Survey. 

The goal of all of these stakeholders? To raise their own Yosemite toads, re-establishing a self-sustaining population in the wild. 

“Over the past several years, SF Zoo’s conservation team has been busily raising hundreds of these small but significant amphibians from tadpole stage, a species found only in the Sierra Nevada, for the purpose of reintroducing them to an area of Yosemite National Park where it was last seen 11 years ago,” the zoo shared on social media. 

By 2022, a group of toads were deemed ready for release — and at the end of June of this year [2024], 118 toads were flown via helicopter back to their habitat.

“It’s the first time anyone has ever raised this species in captivity and released them to the wild,” Rochelle Stiles, field conservation manager at the San Francisco Zoo, told SFGATE. “It’s just incredible. It makes what we do at the zoo every day worthwhile.”

Over the past two years, these toads were fed a diet of crickets and vitamin supplements and were examined individually to ensure they were ready for wildlife release.

Zoo team members inserted a microchip into each toad to identify and monitor its health. In addition, 30 of the toads were equipped with radio transmitters, allowing their movements to be tracked using a radio receiver and antenna.

The project doesn’t end with this single wildlife release; it’s slated to take place over the next five years, as conservationists continue to collect data about the toads’ breeding conditions and survivability in an ever-changing climate. They will also continue to raise future toad groups at the zoo’s wellness and conservation center...

While the future of the Yosemite toad is still up in the air — and the uncertainty of climate change makes this a particularly audacious leap of faith — the reintroduction of these amphibians could have positive ripple effects for all of Yosemite.

Their re-entry could restore the population balance of invertebrates and small vertebrates that the toads consume, as well as balance the food web, serving as prey for snakes, birds, and other local predators.

“Zoo-reared toads can restore historic populations,” Nancy Chan, director of communications at the San Francisco Zoo, told SFGATE. 

Stiles continued: “This is our backyard, our home, and we want to bring native species back to where they belong.”

-via GoodGoodGood, July 11, 2024

[pie-bean]

Spying on the frog...

[plaguedocboi]

I don’t really care about Disney Princess movies because y’know, I’m almost 25, but it does make me sad that they just don’t seem to do villains anymore. Like, at all. The last good disney Princess villain was from like 2009. It makes me sad because as a young queer goth kid I loved the villains, i literally only watched the movies to see the villains. Disney villains used to slap and then they just. Stoped. Who are the weird little emo kids supposed to look up to now? The dude from Frozen who was just sort of an asshole? The lava monster from Moana who turned out to be the good guy?

Why did fun villains go out of style anyway? I would argue that some of the older bad guys are more iconic than the protagonists. Does anyone remember the plot of Sleeping Beauty or do you just remember Maleficent slaying absolute cunt? Because that’s all I remember. I had a plush Maleficent dragon. Where are the dragons now

[jimhenson-themuppetmaster]

The day after Christmas is one of moi's very favorite days. There's nothing to do except admire all the fabulous gifts vous got... or bug your family and friends about not getting you the right thing!

- Miss Piggy

[markscherz]

BOOPHIS SNOOT!

Specifically, an undescribed Boophis from the B. goudotii species group that I discovered in 2015/2016.

[cubbihue]

A common misconception about Fairy Crowns is that it indicates the emotions a Fairy has. This is not true. A Fairy's Crown is purely an indication of their magical energy, as magic is directly connected to their health.

A crown losing its form is an indication that the flow of their magic is fluctuating, which humans often mistaken it as high emotions. Humans should be wary of Fairies with visible fluctuating magic, as it can mean that they are about to impulsively use magic in an erratic or dangerous manner.

Thankfully, crowns cannot do direct harm to others, and Fairies cannot do magic without a wand! Take their wand, and they won't do you harm!!

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Instability: [Start] > [Previous] > [Next]

[reksukoy]

It's the reference sheet of the undead frog lady herself. Just a casual goth who likes plants, obscure music, and her orange cat. She's literally me for real.

[tsukk1]

new frogs jersey