VietNamNet Bridge – Scientists recently announced the discovery of a new species of bullfrogs in Indochina. In Vietnam, this species is distributed in Gia Lai and Dong Nai provinces.

Kaloula indochinensis bullfrog. Photo: Phung My Trung.

The new species is named Kaloula indochinensis bullfrog based on their distribution in the three countries of Indochina, including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

This is the third species of bullfrogs recorded in Vietnam.

Kaloula indochinensis can be distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: maximum snout–vent length 53.7 mm; finger tips expanded into wide discs; the majority of specimens with two subarticular tubercles on the fourth toe; inner and outer metatarsal tubercle slightly raised, inner metatarsal tubercle shorter than first toe; absence of dorsolateral stripe; and large, bright, orange-yellow axillary and inguinal spots.

The finding was published on the journal on reptiles and amphibians Herpetologica this month.

S. Tung