Project director Juan Manuel Guayasamin and his team in Ecuador noticed that what was previously thought to be one species of frog, Pristimantis ornatissimus, had two different markings when taken from two areas of Ecuador. Genetic testing confirmed that the two specimens were in fact two different species. The new frog, Pristimantis ecuadorensis, is found in the northern Chocó coastal region, which is quickly being developed for agricultural purposes. P. ecuadorensis has evolved the ability for offspring to hatch as miniature frogs, instead of tadpoles, due to the lack of water in their habitat. Scientists worry that with an already small population size and a habitat on the decline, this newly found species won't survive much longer.
This article was originally posted on National Geographic on April 5, 2017. National Geographic has been keeping track of this story, with multiple articles already published about the discovery. The article is written to provide information that is clear enough for readers who may not have a complete understanding of biology, but is also giving readers who do enough information as well. The author of the article, Jennifer S. Holland, does a great job of explaining biological processes that some readers may not understand. For example, she explains how a single species can be separated to become two distinct species. I believe that National Geographic is a fairly unbiased publication. The article does make it clear that the project director believes the species needs to be better protected and the website/magazine as a whole is known for providing readers with conservation information. But is that really a bad way to be biased? I think not.
Images are from the article, link below
Link to article
2 comments:
Was there any information given on potential conservation efforts? With such a relatively new species, we don't necessarily know what their role in the environment is, and what repercussions would come from wiping them out. It would be interesting to see studies done to look at what niche they're filling, and how the populations might also be able to possibly adapt to their shrinking environment and overcome extinction. I also wonder if there would be any possibility to preserve the species in maybe some sort of facility like the turtle survival center we visited, although keeping and breeding frogs in captivity might be more difficult than it is for turtles, who for one are much longer lived.
Interesting article! I agree that the author did a nice job making the biology accessible for a general audience.
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