Two new frog species discovered in Australia

Boulder frogs found in remote areas of Cape York Peninsula

October 2011: Two amazing new species of boulder-dwelling frogs have been discovered by researchers exploring remote areas of Cape York Peninsula in North East Australia.

Both frogs have now been named. The first is the called Kutini boulder frog (Cophixalus kulakula). The species name kulakula translates as ‘rocky place', and is a traditional name for the area where the species was discovered.

The species name of the second frog, the golden-capped boulder frog (Cophixalus pakayakulangun, translates as ‘belonging among the boulders'.

Habitat restricted to massive rocks in rainforestBoth names are derived from the local Kuuku Ya'u language and were formulated in consultation with indigenous custodians of the lands on which the frogs were discovered.

The frogs are interesting in that they are restricted to piles of massive boulders ‘hidden' in the rainforest. They are adapted to their rocky world in having long arms, long slender fingers and big triangular finger pads. These features enable them to climb among the labyrinth of rocks in which they live.

They only occur in the rocks and never in the surrounding forest. The frogs live down deep among the boulders and come to the surface only when it rains in the summer wet season. Therefore, to explore these remote areas for frogs, the researchers had to fly in during the wet season and hike through swamps to get to the boulder fields.

You can sit and watch these frogs emerge around youNot many species are found in the boulder piles - just the boulder frogs, a few species of lizards and various insects and spiders. The frogs are found in two different areas in the vicinity of Iron Range, near the township of Lockhart River.

Although highly localised to boulder piles in each area, the frogs are abundant where they occur. ‘You can sit there as darkness falls and watch these amazing frogs emerge from the boulders all around you,' said Dr Conrad Hoskin, who conducted the research alongside Kieran Aland.

‘Most Australian microhylid frogs are very small, about 2cm in length, but these are comparatively huge at about 5cm,' added Dr Hoskin.

‘It is exciting that in this day and age you can still go out in a fairly well explored country such as Australia and find frogs totally new to science.'
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