Recently surfacing within news outlets, a team of dedicated researchers have unveiled their discovery of a new species of cascade frog in the Arunachal Pradesh region. This specific species was named the Adi Cascade Frog, following closely behind the recent finding of the Minervarya Pentali, a separate frog species found in the Western Ghats.
About The Adi Cascade Frog: Appearance & Specifications
The Adi Cascade Frog is a predominantly brown creature, with sizes varying roughly between 4 cm and 7 cm. Officially, it has been described as Amolops adicolasp.nov., distinguished from its congeners based on a combination of unique characteristics. These attributes include adult size, body colouration and markings, skin texture, snout shape, foot webbing and digit tip morphology.
Name Origin
The frog has been named after the indigenous Adi tribe residing in the Adi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh. The word “Adi” translates to “hill” or “mountain top.” In historical contexts, this region was also recognized by the name Abor hills.
The Cascade Frog Species & Genus
Cascade frogs are titled as such due to their preference for dwelling near small waterfalls or cascades in flowing hill streams. They belong to the genus Amolops, which is one of the largest groups of ranid frogs from the Ranidae family. As it currently stands, there are approximately 73 known species of this type of frog, scattered across Northeast and North India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, through Indochina, and reaching as far as the Malay Peninsula.
The Adi Tribe
Historically, it is believed that the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh originated from southern China in the 16th century. As a Tibeto-Burman language speaking population, they settled in the far north, specifically inhabiting the East Siang and Lower Dibang Valley districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Adi tribes are skilled at crafting items from cane and bamboo and are known for their two main festivals; Solung, a harvesting festival involving animal sacrifices and rituals, and Aran, the hunting festival where all male family members participate in a hunt. The tribe is recognized as a Scheduled Tribe within Arunachal Pradesh.
Final Thoughts
The discovery of the Adi Cascade Frog brings attention to both the vast biodiversity of our planet as well as a spotlight onto the tribal communities who share their environment with such creatures. This unveiling opens up new avenues for researching and understanding these unique amphibians and the environments they call home.