The species was found in two different locations: Mount Katopasa in Central Sulawesi and Mount Gandang Dewata in West Sulawesi.
It has been named Rhacophorus boeadii, in honor of the late Dr. Boeadi, a naturalist and scientist from the Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense (MZB), on account of his contributions to zoology and the conservation of herpetofauna in Indonesia.
"This frog is medium-sized, with male body length of around 40–45 mm and female 48–54 mm," a herpetology researcher at BRIN, Amir Hamidy, informed here on Wednesday.
"Other distinctive features include a slanted male snout, rough back skin with white spots, and a white spot pattern on the side of the body," he added.
He said that morphological, genetic, and male call analyses show the specimen to be a previously undescribed species.
"We are very enthusiastic about this discovery because it further opens up insights into the unique biodiversity of Sulawesi," Hamidy explained.
"However, we are also concerned because its habitat, which is specialized in highland forests, is very vulnerable to threats of habitat destruction and climate change," he added.
He pointed out that as part of the Wallacea region, the island of Sulawesi has high levels of biodiversity and endemism, especially in amphibian groups.
Continued pressure on their natural habitats is a real threat to the survival of endemic species.
Therefore, Hamidy urged all relevant stakeholders to take steps to protect the natural habitats of Indonesia's endemic flora and fauna.
The discovery of the new tree frog species has been reported in the international scientific journal Zootaxa (5569 (2): 201–230). It is considered an important reference for taxonomic studies and the conservation of Indonesia's biodiversity.
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Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Primayanti
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