The Simpsons Toad
Nosing around for "lost" amphibian species in western Colombia in September, scientists stumbled across three entirely new species—including this beaked toad. "Its long, pointy, snoutlike nose reminds me of the nefarious villain Mr. Burns from The Simpsons television series," expedition leader Robin Moore said in a statement released Tuesday.
The unnamed, 0.7-inch-long (2-centimeter-long) toad is "easily one of the strangest amphibians I have ever seen," added Moore, an amphibian-conservation specialist for Conservation International.
The toad also has an odd reproductive habit: skipping the tadpole stage. Females lay eggs on the rain forest floor that hatch into fully formed toadlets.
In addition to the never before seen amphibians pictured here, the unprecedented global effort to rediscover amphibians presumed extinct—led by Conservation International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Amphibian Specialist Group—has yielded three species rediscoveries, including a Mexican salamander not seen since 1941, a frog from Côte d'Ivoire not seen since 1967, and a frog from Democratic Republic of the Congo not seen since 1979. (See pictures: "Ten Most Wanted 'Extinct' Amphibians.")
Pictures: "Mr. Burns" Toad, More New Amphibians Found
A beaked amphibian said to resemble The Simpsons' Mr. Burns and a poison dart frog are among new species discovered in Colombia.
