Scientists spot rare ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ blue frog that defies camouflage

Field ecologists from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) had a lucky encounter with a rare amphibian in the Aussie wilderness.

They spotted a stunning blue Magnificent Tree Frog in a Charnley River-Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Jake Barker, AWC field ecologist, was among the first to see this rare frog after dark. It was perched on a bench near their research center and he managed to quickly take images before it hopped away.

Magnificent tree frogs are some of the biggest, but to find a blue one is said to be a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Gene mutation

Interestingly, this is the firs t time that experts have spotted bright blue coloration in this tree frog species, Litoria splendida.

Normally, these frogs are a vibrant green, perfectly camouflaged against the leaves. These frogs have a unique pattern of white or yellow spots scattered across their backs. But the real eye-catchers are the bright yellow or orange splashes under their arms, in the groin, and on the backs of their thighs.

But this blue beauty is the result of an incredibly rare genetic mutation.

“Very occasionally, a green frog is missing yellow pigment in its skin, and it results in an entirely or mostly blue frog. I’ve seen tens of thousands of frogs over the years, and only seen one blue frog – and it was nowhere near as spectacular as this magnificent tree frog,” said Jodi Rowley, Curator of Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum, in the press release.

This genetic mutation blocks that yellow pigmentation, completely changing the animal’s green color. This aberrant bodily coloration is referred to as axanthism.

This lack of yellow pigment creates a stunning blue color, but it also comes at a cost. Blue is one of nature’s rarest colors, thus it stands out.

Green frogs survive in the wild environment through camouflage to avoid being eaten. But standing out like a sore thumb might seem like a death wish.

This old frog has managed to survive

Interestingly, based on the blue frog’ s body size, wildlife specialists believe this is a mature male that has managed to elude predators for several years.

However, the blue hue might not be a disadvantage. Just like poison dart frogs, this coloration could be a warning sign to predators. This visual defense system that wards off predators through the threat of toxins is known as aposematism.

Barker highlights that the magnificent tree frog is just one of the many endemic species (animals that only live here) in the northwest.

“They’re not found anywhere else. That’s the great thing about working in the Kimberley – you never know what rare wildlife you’re going to see each day,” Barker said in the press release.

Magnificent tree frogs typically grow up to the size of 12 cm (5 in) and live for over 20 years. The species reside only in the northern Kimberley and adjacent areas of the Northern Territory.