New Frog Species Discovered After Decades of Misidentification

A new frog species, dubbed the Milpe rain frog (Pristimantis milpe), has been identified after scientists realized it had been misclassified for decades.

Researchers, led by evolutionary biologist Santiago Ron, re-examined frog specimens collected in Ecuador's Choco rainforest as early as 1902 and stored at the Natural History Museum in London. They discovered that these specimens, previously thought to belong to the species Pristimantis subsigillatus, were actually distinct.

The study, published in the journal ZooKeys, revealed that the frog populations long identified as P. subsigillatus did not match the original holotype of that species. Instead, the holotype was found to be the same species as another frog described four years earlier, leaving the misidentified populations without a scientific name.

After extensive fieldwork, specimen collection, and DNA analysis, the team confirmed the existence of a new species, Pristimantis milpe. Despite being newly classified, the Milpe rain frog is already known to be widespread across the rainforests of Ecuador and southern Colombia. It has also been observed in banana plantations and urban parks, and is recognized by its distinctive nocturnal "clicking" call.

Both males and females are relatively small, with males averaging 25.8 millimeters and females 33.9 millimeters. The species is found across approximately 67,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most common Pristimantis species in the Pacific basin. Its abundance and loud calls make it easily noticeable in some areas.

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The fact that such a common species has gone unnoticed for decades under the wrong name shows how important it is to correctly link scientific names with living populations in nature.