Hiking through the dense rainforest of Madagascar, scientists heard a series of “otherworldly” sounds. The “somewhat bizarre” calls came from several “cute” creatures living near streams.
They turned out to be seven new species.
Researchers visited dozens of sites in northern Madagascar over a 28-year span to survey wildlife, according to a study published Oct. 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Vertebrate Zoology. During the visits, a group of small brown tree frogs caught their attention.
These frogs were supposedly one known species, but researchers noticed “substantial differences” in their calls, the study said. Some frogs sounded like “regular whistles,” while others made “outlandish sounds.”
Intrigued, researchers began collecting data on these tree frogs. They captured dozens of animals, recorded their “alien-sounding” calls and analyzed their DNA. Despite their relatively similar appearances, the tree frogs consistently differed genetically and acoustically.
Researchers soon realized they’d discovered seven new species of tree frog.
“The appearance of the frogs has led to them being confused with similar species until now, but each species makes a distinctive series of these high-pitched whistles ,” study co-author Jörn Köhler said in an Oct. 15 news release from the University of Copenhagen.
“If the frogs just croaked like our familiar European frogs, they might not be audible over the sound of rushing water from the rivers they live near,” Köhler said.
These “bird-like whistling sounds” reminded researchers of sound effects from the TV series “Star Trek” and inspired their names, the university said.
Co-author Miguel Vences said they chose “seven of the most iconic captains from the sci-fi series.”
“Not only do these frogs sound like sound-effects from Star Trek, but it also seems fitting that to find them, you often have to do quite a bit of trekking,” co-author Mark Scherz said in the release.
The first new species was named Boophis archeri, or Archer’s tree frog, the study said. A photo shows the brown speckled coloring of this nocturnal frog.
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The second new species was named Boophis janewayae, or Janeway’s tree frog. It was usually found near “slow-moving streams” and heard calling from its leafy perch.
The third new species — Boophis kirki, or Kirk’s tree frog — preferred “fast flowing streams” and often perched too high up in the trees for researchers to see it, the study said.
The fourth new species was named Boophis picardi, or Picard’s tree frog. Like the other new species, it has “slender” limbs and “smooth” skin. A photo shows its red-tinged eyes.
The fifth new species was named Boophis pikei, or Pike’s tree frog, and had an “extremely loud” call, researchers said. Male frogs were found crowded together “between two narrow streams.”
Boophis siskoi, or Sisko’s tree frog, was the sixth new species and found near “a large river.” A photo shows its blotchy brown pattern and blue-tinged eyes.
The final new species — Boophis burnhamae, or Burnham’s tree frog — was the only one researchers did not hear calling.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of what Madagascar’s rainforests have to offer,” co-author Andolalao Rakotoarison said in the release. “Every time we go into the forest, we find new species, and just in terms of frogs, there are still several hundred species we haven’t yet described.”
The research team included Vences, Köhler, Carl Hutter, Michaela Preick, Alice Petzold, Rakotoarison, Fanomezana Ratsoavina, Frank Glaw and Scherz.
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