ously identified. Glassfrogs’ extraordinary claim to fame lies in the fact that the skin on the undersides of their
abdomens is transparent, which means that their internal organs are visible. The new species, Hyalinobatrachium yaku
(‘yaku’ means ‘water’ in a local language) goes even further, with transparent skin extending over its chest and
exposing its heart.
The new glassfrog has been collected from three separate localities some distance apart, leading researchers to
conclude that it is likely to have an extended distribution which may include parts of Peru. The conservation status of
the species is uncertain, although likely threats include pollution and development. Ironically, the evolutionary advan-
tage conferred by being ‘completely transparent’, remains rather unclear. Interestingly, two species of glassfrogs are
able to reflect light that is close to infrared wavelengths, and this is believed to deliver advantages in thermoregulation
and cryptic colouration.
Sources:
Springer. "Amazonian frog has its own ant repellent: Chemicals presented on skin allow tiny frog to live and breed
unhindered among leaf-cutting ants." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 October 2016. .
André de Lima Barros, Jorge Luis López-Lozano, Albertina Pimentel Lima. The frog Lithodytes lineatus (Anura:
Leptodactylidae) uses chemical recognition to live in colonies of leaf-cutting ants of the genus Atta
(Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2016; DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2223-y
Pensoft Publishers. "New species of frog from the Neotropics carries its heart on its skin." ScienceDaily. Science-
Daily, 29 May 2017. .
Juan M. Guayasamin, Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia, Ross J. Maynard, Ryan L. Lynch, Jaime Culebras, Paul S. Hamil-
ton. A marvelous new glassfrog (Centrolenidae, Hyalinobatrachium) from Amazonian Ecuador. ZooKeys, 2017;
673: 1 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.673.12108
Hyalinobatrachium iaspidense, a very rare species of glassfrog.
Photograph by Dr Morley Read.