The amphibians are found under leaf litter and hatch fully grown
Highlights
- Scientists have discovered six new frog species in Mexico.
- The tiny amphibians are found under leaf litter and hatch fully-formed adults.
- They are known as direct-developing frogs, meaning they skip the tadpole stage and hatch as adults.
- The species’ tiny size places them at the bottom of the food chain, serving as a delicious meal for birds, lizards, small mammals, and other frogs.
- The team is working with NGOs and the Mexican government to protect the six new species, which were classified in the Craugastor genus, which is considered Mexico’s smallest frog species by the University of Cambridge.
- The frogs have not been witnessed hatching yet, but researchers suspect they are less than 10 millimeters.