Thirteen new frog species discovered in Northeast India

Guwahati: In one of the most significant zoological discoveries in recent years, scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, have unveiled 13 new species of bush frogs from Northeast India — the highest number of vertebrate species described in a single scientific publication in over a decade in the country.

This breakthrough is the result of a multi-year taxonomic investigation led by Bitupan Boruah, a PhD researcher at WII, along with renowned herpetologist Dr. Abhijit Das (WII) and Dr. Deepak Veerappan of the Natural History Museum, London, and Newcastle University, UK. Their findings have been published in the latest issue of the international journal Vertebrate Zoology.

The newly discovered species shine a spotlight on the incredible but lesser-known amphibian diversity of the Northeast, a region that straddles two global biodiversity hotspots — the Himalaya and the Indo-Burma region.

Of the 13 species described:

• 6 are from Arunachal Pradesh
• 3 from Meghalaya
• 1 each from Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Manipur

Each species carries the imprint of its landscape and culture through its scientific name and type locality:

• Raorchestes lawngtalaiensis — Ngengpui WLS, Mizoram
• Raorchestes barakensis — Lakhicherra, Barail WLS, Assam
• Raorchestes eaglenestensis — Eaglenest WLS, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes magnus — Tiwari Gaon, Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes dibangensis — Abango near Mehao WLS, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes nasuta — Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes orientalis — Namdapha Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes arunachalensis — Rengging, Adi Hills, Arunachal Pradesh
• Raorchestes narpuhensis — Narpuh WLS, Meghalaya
• Raorchestes monolithus — Pumdunlog, Senapati District, Manipur
• Raorchestes khonoma — Near Khonoma, Nagaland
• Raorchestes boulengeri — Cherrapunji, Meghalaya
• Raorchestes mawsynramensis — Mawsynram, Meghalaya

This study is exceptional not just for its number of new species, but also for its wide-ranging methodology. The researchers employed an integrative framework — blending acoustic analysis, DNA sequencing, and detailed morphological study — to untangle long-standing taxonomic puzzles surrounding the tiny “tik…tik…” bush frogs that dominate the forest soundscape of the Northeast.

In addition, the team revisited century-old museum specimens housed in major natural history museums abroad, uncovering hidden identities and correcting historical inaccuracies.

The discoveries stem from intensive field surveys across 81 localities in eight northeastern states, including 25 Protected Areas. The research not only revealed new species but also:

• Revised the distribution of several known species
• Synonymised four previously described species
• Increased India’s bush frog count from 82 to 95 species

The findings open new doors for understanding the ecological roles, habitat needs, and conservation priorities of these frogs — many of which are likely to be range-restricted and potentially threatened.

“This work underscores how much of Northeast India’s biodiversity still remains undocumented,” the authors note. “Integrative taxonomic research is essential to reveal and protect the region’s hidden natural heritage.”

The research was carried out between 2019 and 2024, with support from the National Geographic Society and the Meghalaya Biodiversity Board.