Gold-eyed creature with ‘discs’ on its fingers discovered as new species in Peru
Darkness stretched across the mountains of northern Peru, coaxing a golden-eyed creature out of its hiding place. It perched on a leaf and made a “peep-like” sound. Suddenly, a beam of light cut through the night, landing on it.
Scientists looked at the illuminated animal — and discovered a new species.
A team of researchers ventured into the Cordillera de Huancabamba several times between 2021 and 2024 in search of amphibians. The “rugged” mountains have “steep, exposed” ridges and “very changeable” weather, a combination that has deterred some scientists and led to large parts of the cordillera being “unexplored,” according to a study published June 20 in the peer-reviewed journal Evolutionary Systematics.
During a 2023 visit, researchers stopped along a road at night and spent hours searching for wildlife with headlamps, the study said. They heard some “peep-like” calls and eventually found several bumpy frogs.
Intrigued, the team took a closer look at the frogs, analyzed their DNA and realized they’d discovered a “cryptic” new species: Pristimantis chinguelas, or the Chinguelas terrestrial breeding frog.
Chinguelas terrestrial breeding frogs are considered “medium-sized,” reaching about 1.4 inches in length, the study said. They have “short” snouts and “gold” eyes with “fine black” markings. Their legs are “slender,” and they have “discs” on their fingers.
Photos show the varied coloring of the new species. Generally, the frogs are yellowy with brown markings on their back, sides and stomachs. A few frogs are red-orange with darker brown markings and paler stomachs.
Only male Chinguelas terrestrial breeding frogs were found, the study said. The frogs were “calling on leaves” at night in “a steep, rocky, open area on the cliff side” of a road.
Much about the lifestyle and behavior of the new species remains unknown.
Researchers said they named the new species after Cerro Chinguelas where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. The mountain is in Huancabamba Province, a region of northwestern Peru bordering Ecuador.
The new species was identified by its skin texture, body shape, finger and toe shape, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 3% genetic divergence from other related frog species.
The research team included Germán Chávez, Wilmar Aznaran, Ivan Wong, Karen Victoriano-Cigüeñas, Luis García-Ayachi, Juan Valencia-Málaga, Jesús Ormeño, Michael Gulman, Ronal Sumiano-Mejía, Michelle Thompson and Alessandro Catenazzi.
The team also discovered two more new species of terrestrial breeding frog.
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Gold-eyed creature with ‘discs’ on its fingers discovered as new species in Peru."
