Amolops shillong

Amolops shillong Latest News

Scientists recently identified a new species of frog named Amolops shillong, or the Shillong Cascade Frog, hiding in plain sight—right within the city limits of Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya.

About Amolops shillong

• Amolops shillong, or the Shillong Cascade Frog, is a new species of frog.
• The new species, which loves fast-flowing streams, has been quietly living in Shillong’s urban forest patches.
• It belongs to a group of visually similar, fast-flowing stream frogs that are notoriously hard to tell apart.
• Genetic analysis confirmed that A. shillong is part of the Amolops indoburmanensis complex, closely related to Amolops siju—another species described by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in 2023 from Siju Cave in Meghalaya.
• However, unlike its cave-dwelling cousin, A. shillong was found amidst bustling neighborhoods, just kilometers from the city center. 
• Their presence in Shillong’s streams signals the existence of vital but overlooked microhabitats.
• Frogs of the Amolops genus have been known from India since the 1850s, but urban discoveries are almost unheard of.
  • India now has 20 recognized Amolops species, 16 of which were discovered within the country. 
  • Nine of these, including A. shillong, were described in just the last 20 years—most from Northeast India, a known biodiversity hotspot.

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Amolops shillong FAQs

Q1. What is Amolops shillong?

Ans. Amolops shillong, or the Shillong Cascade Frog, is a new species of frog.

Q2. Amolops shillong belongs to which species complex?

Ans. Amolops indoburmanensis complex

Q3. What makes the discovery of Amolops shillong particularly unique?

Ans. It was found in an urban forest patch.

Source: HUBN