In 2025, Peruvian scientists described three new frog species. The frogs all live in a rugged part of the Andes mountains called the Cordillera de Huancabamba. These mountains are in northwestern Peru.
The new frog species were described in a scientific paper by Germán Chávez and Ivan Wong, both from the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology, and their colleagues.
Ivan explains why these frog species were not found by scientists before now: “Many of these mountain ridges are isolated, with no roads and extreme terrain. The weather shifts within minutes, and the steep cliffs make every step a challenge. It’s no wonder so few scientists have worked here before. But that’s exactly why there’s still so much to find.”
The three species have been named Pristimantis chinguelas, Pristimantis nunezcortezi, and Pristimantis yonke. The frogs only have scientific names for now, and not common names.
Pristimantis chinguelas was found on a cliffside of Cerro Chinguelas, the mountain it’s named after. The frog has distinctive, prominent wart-like bumps and makes a high-pitched “peep.” The male frogs are around the length of a paperclip.
Pristimantis nunezcortezi was spotted near a mountain stream on the eastern slope of Cerro Chinguelas. The frog has large black blotches where its legs meet its body. The researchers named it after ornithologist Elio Nuñez-Cortez. The analyzed male frogs were roughly 3.8 cm (1.5 in) long.
Pristimantis yonke, the smallest new species, is about the size of a thumbnail. It was found in a bromeliad plant. The team named it after the traditional Andean sugarcane drink called yonke or yonque, which people drink to keep warm during their travels through the mountains.
Between 2021 and 2024, the team of scientists went on several challenging expeditions around the remote Cordillera de Huancabamba. During each nightly hike of five to six hours, the researchers would scan the ground, vegetation, and water edges with headlamps for amphibians. This work ultimately led them to find the three previously unknown frog species.
David Brown adapted this story for Mongabay Kids. It is based on an article by Kristine Sabillo, published on Mongabay News.
