World's smallest frogs found in New Guinea

A researcher has discovered the world’s smallest frogs in southeastern New Guinea during his fieldwork.

The discovery by Fred Kraus from Bishop Museum, Honolulu, also makes them the world’s smallest tetrapods (non-fish vertebrates).

The frogs belong to the genus Paedophryne, all of whose species are extremely small, with adults of the two new species - named Paedophryne dekot and Paedophryne verrucosa - only 8-9 mm in length. 

Previous research had led to the discovery of Paedophryne by Kraus in 2002 from nearby areas in New Guinea, but the genus was not formally described until last year (Kraus 2010, also in Zookeys).

The two species described earlier were larger, attaining sizes of 10-11 mm, but the genus still represents the most miniaturized group of tetrapods in the world.

“Miniaturization occurs in many frog genera around the world, but New Guineaseems particularly well represented, with species in seven genera exhibiting the phenomenon,” Kraus said.

“Although most frog genera have only a few diminutive representatives mixed among larger relatives, Paedophryne is unique in that all species are minute,” he added.

The four known species all inhabit small ranges in the mountains of southeastern New Guineaor adjacent, offshore islands. Their closest relatives remain unclear.

The members of this genus have reduced digit sizes that would not allow them to climb well; all inhabit leaf litter, and their reduced digits may be a corollary of a reduced body size required for inhabiting leaf litter and moss.

The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys. 

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