Studied over 21 years, new frog species ‘Leptobrachium aryatium’ named after Assam college

Leptobrachium aryatium, a new frog to science recorded from a reserve forest on the edge of Guwahati. Photo: Special arrangement

Guwahati A study voltage 21 years has yielded a new species of frog that bears the name of a University of Assam that helped a location to throw its identity as a liquor production center in the country.

Aryanagar de Guwahati used to be called Sharabbhati, which means a place to make liquor. The location was renamed in 2022 to give the respectability that local authorities felt that Arya Vidyapeth College, one of Assam’s most reputed educational institutions, deserved.

Leptobrachium aryatiumA new frog to science registered in the Garbhanga reserve forest in the southwest part of the Guwahati Meghalaya border, which is now used is the name of the university.

The frog has been described by four zoolologists, associated with Arya Vidyapeeth College, either as former students or members of the Faculty, in the last issue of the magazine ZOOTAXA They are Jayadity Purkayastha or NGOs based in Guwahati Help Earth; Dipankar Dutta of the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya; Jayanta Gogoi or Arya Vidyapeeth College, and Saibal Senguta or Assam Don Bosco University.

“This frog stood out with its burning orange and black eyes, a unique reticulated throat pattern and a smooth and rhythmic call at dusk. Scientific analysis of its appearance, DNA, and call patterns confirmed that this is this this this this is this aaaaaa aa a a a a a pereun to priorns priorions a priorns a priorns a prior to previous. Purkayastha said.

Gender LeptobrachiumWhich includes a group of fornid frogs with wide heads, relatively short rear limbs and distinctive eyes, currently consisting of 38 species and is distributed widely in southern China and India to the islands of the Sunday shelf and the Phelf.

First studied in 2004, the Garbhanga reserve forest was initially identified as the Leptobrachium Smithi. “There was not much work in this genre for a long time. Recently, molecular and morphological studies revealed significant cryptic diversity within the genus, describing several new species, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Burma region,” said Dr. Purkayastha.

The zoologists quartet reversed their old data on their subject, and after having the new studies on the other species of the genus, established Leptobrachium aryatium As a different species.

The study has put the focus on the Garbhanga reserve forest, a biodiversity access point that has been threatened by the urban dog and the destruction of the habitat.

A reserve forest that helps regulate Guwahati weather and water systems, Garbhanga is the home of elephants, butterflies and rare birds, separated from reptiles and amphibians such as Leptobrachium aryatium.