Red-eyed frog discovered in Ecuador named after Led Zeppelin | nature

a Pristimantes Ledzeplein It can measure between 2.4 and 3.6 cm and was discovered by Ecuadorean David Brito Zapata and Carolina Reyes, scientists at the University of San Francisco de Quito’s Museum of Zoology.

They caught three specimens of frogs between 2016 and 2019 in the community of Rio Branco, the Amazonian province of Zamora Chinship, but this week it was Research It was published in the specialized journal “Neotropical Biodiversity”.

“We are fans of rock music and this band [Led Zeppelin] “In particular,” Brito told AFP.

British band Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham achieved great success during the 1970s with such classics as “Stairway To Heaven” (1971) and “Whole Lotta Love” (1969).

Reyes, who also signed the discovery, stated that the “brilliant” name was intended to promote the preservation of the Ecuadorean Andean region, “with this species being regarded as a science.”

The researcher, who in six years of work has described about 20 species of amphibians to science, said that this was the first time they had chosen to give a name that did not indicate something related to the region or Ecuador.

copies Pristimantes Ledzeplein They first caught the attention of Brito Zapata, because of their red eyes.

Although he had seen frogs with this feature before, this feature also had different colors and sizes. The new species has orange spots, with shades of copper and yellow in the thigh.

“It is a very beautiful frog, because its eyes are red and its color pattern differs slightly between males and females,” the scientist explained. “She is very attractive.”

Currently, the species is endemic to the Cordillera do Condor, a mountain range east of the main body of the Andes and with its rich fauna and flora.

Although more studies need to be done on the ecology of the species, Pristimantes Ledzeplein It is considered threatened due to the fact that livestock, agricultural and mining activities take place in its habitat.

“In Ecuador, we have many species to half of. It’s a race against time, because of the threats they face,” Reyes said.