The new species is dubbed a "flasher" frog, so it's not too surprising that this creature is primarily known for its habit of flashing other animals with its vibrant orange groin. But why?
According to a report from ABC Australia, the rare frog is actually officially named Mahony's Toadlet and was discovered in swampland north of Newcastle, specifically just kilometers away from the Newcastle Airport in the area of Oyster Cove, Port Stephens in New South Wales.
Mahony's Toadlet is a tiny creature, hardly bigger than a human fingertip, but it's easily recognizable due to its strangely marbled underbelly and, of course, its orange groin and likelihood of flashing threatening predators with it.
Simon Clulow of the University of Newcastle revealed that the frog's defense mechanism when its in danger is unique. It's also remarkable how it has remained undiscovered for so long, likely because of the toadlet's ability to camouflage in its surroundings.
Clulow first discovered the new species of frog a few years ago purely by accident. He explained, "I was actually just working in the field doing some unrelated studies on frogs that happen to be around the sand beds around Port Stephens and I heard a frog."
"It sounded like a few other frogs we get out that way...but when I pulled this one up, straight away I knew it was something unique," Clulow added.
Aside from Oyster Cove, it has also been seen in swampy areas in the Myall Lakes and the Central Coast of New South Wales.
Clulow pointed out that it's rare that the frog is found so near a large city, although recent developments in coastal areas are already threatening the Mahony's Toadlet's natural habitat.
"So it's actually under threat from sand mining, coastal developments and lots of other things, so we think it could be a threatened species," he concluded.
This newly discovered amphibian was named after Prof. Michael Mahony, a well-known frog expert and conservationist, according to BBC.
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