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yesterday

PLOS One Study Describes Tiny Pumpkin Toadlet Named for Lula in Brazil

Researchers cite a roughly 8-square-kilometer range to press for new protections for threatened relatives.

New Species Of Tiny Pumpkin Toadlet Is The Size Of A Pencil Tip, And We Cannot Cope
New Species of Tiny Pumpkin Toadlet Discovered in Brazil's Cloud Forests

Overview

  • Brachycephalus lulai is formally described based on genetics, morphology, and advertisement calls in a paper released December 10 in PLOS One.
  • The bright orange frog measures about 14 millimeters, lacks a fifth toe, has black eyes, and lives in leaf litter of cloud forest above 750 meters in Santa Catarina.
  • Field teams located males by their mating calls before collecting specimens for lab measurements and DNA sequencing.
  • The species was named in tribute to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as a signal to boost Atlantic Forest conservation.
  • Authors estimate a total known range near 8 square kilometers and suggest IUCN Least Concern for this habitat, while noting regional threats and a formal discussion to create a federal conservation unit in Santa Catarina.