Peruvian scientists have identified three new-to-science frog species in the Andes, highlighting the mountains’ wealth of biodiversity, according to a recent study. The three species have been named Pristimantis chinguelas, P. nunezcortezi and P. yonke. “They’re small and unassuming, but these frogs are powerful reminders of how much we still don’t know about the Andes,” study lead author Germán Chávez, from the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology (IPH), said in a statement. Between 2021 and 2024, Chávez and his colleagues embarked on several challenging expeditions around the remote Cordillera de Huancabamba, a rugged range of the Andes in northwestern Peru. During each nightly hike of five to six hours, the researchers would scan the ground, vegetation and water edges with headlamps for amphibians. This ultimately led them to find the three previously unknown frog species. The mountain range serves as a natural corridor for wildlife and is home to “many unique amphibian species,” the authors write. “Many of these mountain ridges are isolated, with no roads and extreme terrain,” Ivan Wong, study co-author from IPH, said in the statement. “The weather shifts within minutes, and the steep cliffs make every step a challenge. It’s no wonder so few scientists have worked here before. But that’s exactly why there’s still so much to find.” P. chinguelas was found on a cliffside of Cerro Chinguelas, the mountain it’s named after. The frog has distinctive, prominent wart-like bumps and makes a high-pitched “peep.” The male frogs the team analyzed were around 3.5 centimeters (1.4…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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