Scientists have discovered a tiny new species of frog living in coffee plantations in Costa Rica. The greenish frog is less than four centimetres long and is active mainly at night. Researchers found the frogs in the San Lorenzo de Tarrazú area of the country’s central Pacific region. The species is known as the spring frog and has also been given the nickname “coffee frog”.
Researcher Wagner Chaves-Acuna said the frog is a new species of tree frog and is found naturally only in Costa Rica. The frogs can often be heard at night sitting on coffee plants. Male frogs have a see-through throat that inflates when they make their short, high-pitched calls. This unusual feature helps make the tiny animals easier to recognise.
The frogs do not eat coffee berries. Instead, they feed on small insects that live among the plants. They generally look for shade, moisture and food in the coffee plantations. However, researchers are concerned that chemicals used to protect coffee crops could harm the frogs.
Pesticides can move through the air and soil and eventually reach the water where the frogs’ tadpoles develop. Scientists say this could create a risk for the new species. The discovery shows that even places used for farming can contain animals that have not been studied before. Researchers will need to learn more about the frog and how to protect it.
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