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India’s newest frog evolved 60 million years ago
- A new species of frog has been discovered in the Western Ghat range in Wayanad, Kerala. The frog was first spotted in 2010 in Kurichiyarmala, Wayanad.
- The frog has been named as Astrobatrachus kurichiyana (Kurichiyana after Kurichiya tribe- a matrilineal tribe of Kerala distributed mainly in Wayanad and Kannur districts). The frog has been given the sobriquet Starry dwarf frog after the markings on its body.
- Genetic studies have revealed that its closest relatives are the Nycibatrachinae group of frogs that are found in Western Ghats, and the Lankanectinae frogs of Sri Lanka.
- Genetic analysis has further revealed that this species of frog is at least 60 million years old.
