Purple Frog Discovered in Suriname

Photo credit: REUTERS/Paul Ouboter/Handout

Reuters reported yesterday on the discovery of 24 new species, including this purple-splotched frog.

A purple fluorescent frog is one of 24 new species found in the South American highlands of Suriname, conservationists reported on Monday, warning that these creatures are threatened by illegal gold mining.

The discovery of so many species outside the insect realm is extraordinary and points up the need to survey distant regions, said Leeanne Alonso of Conservation International, which led the expedition that found the new species.

"When you go to these places that are so unexplored and so remote, we do tend to find new species ... but most of them are insects," Alonso said by telephone from Suriname's capital, Paramaribo. "What's really exciting here is we found a lot of new species of frogs and fish as well."

The two-tone frog -- whose skin is covered with irregular fluorescent lavender loops on a background of aubergine -- was discovered in 2006 as part of a survey of Suriname's Nassau plateau, the conservation group said.

Apparently, the frog hasn't told them its name yet.

And we'll skip the part about the new species of dung beetles they found...

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Now, for a special bonus feature, here's a little item from the Daily Mail (UK) Sunday, with lots of pictures of animals who got their heads stuck in things. Pretty funny, though the comments reveal the high number of people who got their sense of humor stuck in something a long time ago and just left it there. (See one of my earliest posts for my opinion of dogs and humor.)