A new toothed toad has been discovered in Vietnam by scientists on the hunt for its “brother”. Researchers made the surprise discovery while on their way back from looking for a known toad in the region. The amphibian has been named the Mount Po Ma Lung toothed toad (Oreolalax adelphos), after the mountain on which it was found – in Vietnam’s Hoang Lien mountain range, a known global hotspot for threatened species.
Based on the measurement of a single male and female, the newly discovered creatures are just 38mm in length for an adult male, and 46.2mm in length for an adult female. The toad has a row of tiny teeth on the roof of its mouth, known as vomerine teeth, as well as a narrow fold of skin behind its eyes, a distinct mottled pattern on its belly, and an eye-catching two-toned iris (coloured part of the eye).
Zoological Society of London (ZSL) fellow Luan Thanh Nguyen led the group expedition which involved a 12-hour hike during an eight-day survey of the mountain range. The conservationists climbed Mount Po Ma Lung in search of the Sterling’s toothed toad, and on the way down from the 2,967-metre-high peak, they found the Mount Po Ma Lung toothed toad on a path well-trodden by tourists.
The animal had unfamiliar colour markings with black, cream and grey spots, leading the researchers to quickly believe it was new and undescribed. Dr Ben Tapley, London Zoo’s curator of reptiles and amphibians and co-author of the paper, expressed excitement about the discovery and highlighted the importance of protecting the forests of the Hoang Lien Range and their biodiversity.
Mr Nguyen, of Indo-Myanmar Conservation, who is based in Vietnam, stated that the Mount Po Ma Lung toothed toad’s habitat is under threat from destruction, driven by fuelwood collection for the tourism industry and the creation of cardamom plantations on the lower slopes of the mountain.
The species is the second Oreolalax amphibian to be found in Vietnam, with both found on Mount Po Ma Lung. The species name “adelphos”, meaning brother in Greek, acknowledges this connection between the toothed toads. The researchers are still gathering information on the potential threat level to the newly discovered species and its dependence on the specific high-altitude habitat around Mount Po Ma Lung.
This important discovery in the Hoang Lien Range amphibian research not only expands the knowledge of amphibians in Vietnam’s high mountain ranges but also emphasises the need for conservation efforts to protect the unique biodiversity present in the region. The study on this new species has been published in Zootaxa by an international team led by Mr Nguyen and London Zoo’s amphibian team, along with experts from other institutions.