Scientists have discovered 7 new tree frog species that sound like they’re from Star Trek. They were first mentioned in a study published October 14th, 2024 about the Island of Madagascar.
7 new species of tree frog have been found in the rainforests of Madagascar. Researchers have been visiting various sites in northern Madagascar to study wildlife over a 28 year time period. They were finally able to publish their findings on October 14th, 2024 in a journal called Vertebrate Zoology. The frogs caught their attention because they all made different calls. According to the Miami Herald, “These frogs were supposedly one known species, but researchers noticed ‘substantial differences’ in their calls, the study said. Some frogs sounded like ‘regular whistles,’ while others made ‘outlandish sounds.’” (Pflughoeft October 15, 2024).
Yes, all of the frogs look very similar, but they are in fact 7 new species. This is because they differ genetically from one another, and they each have a unique call. Until recently, scientists thought that these frogs were all one species, but it appears they were wrong. The Miami Herald also says, “‘The appearance of the frogs has led to them being confused with similar species until now, but each species makes a distinct series of these high-pitched whistles,’ study co-author Jörn Köhler said in an Oct. 15 news release from the University of Copenhagen.” (Pflughoeft October 15, 2024).
These frogs make whistling sounds that stand out among the other sounds in the rainforest. The sounds reminded scientists of the iconic effects from Star-Trek. Therefore, the frogs were named after the 7 main Star-Trek characters. According to the New York Post, “‘That’s why we named the frogs after Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, Archer, Burnham, and Pike – seven of the most iconic captains from the sci-fi series’ said researcher Miguel Vences…” (Mitchell, October 15th, 2024)
Even though the discovery of these frogs is important, there are still hundreds of undiscovered species of frogs alone. It can only be assumed that we will continue to find more new species, as we advance in technology and resources…