Overview

• Researchers have formally described two new species of poison dart frogs, Ranitomeya aquamarina and Ranitomeya aetherea, in the Juruá River Basin of the Brazilian Amazon.
• These discoveries, published in April and May 2025, mark the first new additions to the genus Ranitomeya since 2012.
• The frogs exhibit striking appearances: R. aquamarina features turquoise stripes on black, while R. aetherea has sky blue stripes on a brick-red background with copper-colored legs.
• Distinct mating behaviors were observed, with R. aquamarina showing monogamous pairings and R. aetherea males engaging in solitary advertising calls.
• Deforestation and other environmental threats are encroaching on the frogs' limited habitats, raising urgent conservation concerns for these newly identified species.