Shillong, Apr 17: Research on a frog species, first spotted along in Garbhanga Reserved Forest along Meghalaya-Assam border over two decades ago, was finally established as a news species endemic to the North East.
The discovery in Garbhanga RF near Guwahati, Assam adjoining Ri-Bhoi district in Meghalaya has been considered as a significant breakthrough for biodiversity research in the North East.
Named after Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati, the discovery of Leptobrachium aryatium brings attention to the ecological richness of the region, highlighting the urgent need to preserve these fragile ecosystems through sustained conservation efforts and further scientific exploration.
The discovery was made by Dr Dipankar Dutta, assistant professor, Department of Zoology, University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM), in collaboration with eminent herpetologists Dr Jayaditya Purkayastha, Dr Jayanta Gogoi, and Dr Saibal Sengupta.
Publication about the new frog species in international journal “Zootaxa” on April 14 has added a crucial piece to the puzzle of amphibian diversity in the region, stated a press release.
Naming of the species was significant as the researchers sought to pay homage to their alma mater — Arya Vidyapeeth College (Autonomous), Guwahati as the college’s Herpetology Laboratory was instrumental in advancing amphibian research.
Speaking on the finding, Dr Dipankar Dutta said the species was first reported by his guide Dr Saibal Sengupta as Leptobrachium smithi, marking the very first report of this genus from India.
Research on the frog species began as early as 2004 when it was considered part of the Leptobrachium smithi group, which is found in some other Southeast Asian countries as well.
“Over the years, we carried out extensive studies on its taxonomy, breeding and reproductive biology, life cycle, feeding habits, acoustic patterns, home range, and molecular phylogeny. This comprehensive research ultimately led us to nominate it as a new species,” he said.
“What could be more fitting than naming it after Arya Vidyapeeth College, where it all began,” he said while also expressing his gratitude to USTM for providing necessary support.
