New frog species carrying eggs on back discovered in Peru

Scientists have discovered a new species of miniature marsupial frog in the Peruvian Amazon that carries its young in a natural pouch on its back, a research institute reported Wednesday.

The new amphibian species, with the scientific name Gastrotheca mittaliiti, measures 2.7 to 3.3 centimetres (1 to 1.3 inches) and was discovered in a mountainous ecosystem in the Amazonas region bordering Ecuador.

The frog is bright green and has small protuberances on its back. The number of specimens in the wild is not known.

Its pouch enables the marsupial frog to nurture its young rather than, as other frogs, rely on aquatic environments for egg development. 

The study says the amphibian is at "high risk" because its habitat is suffering the effects of climate change and the impact of fires started by farmers clearing the region. 

"This is further evidence of the enormous natural wealth we possess... If we continue our research, there are many species still waiting to be discovered," Manuel Oliva, director of the Ceja de Selva Research Institute for Sustainable Development, part of the Toribio Rodriguez de Mendoza National University, told AFP.

The discovery was published in the New Zealand scientific journal Zootaxa and undertaken in collaboration with research departments at Florida International University and the University of Seville in Spain.

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