New Frog Species Named After Fabled Female Warriors
The Brazilian amphibian's name pays homage to indigenous culture and a newly discovered trait.
The name of a newly described species of frog, native to the Amazon Basin in northern Brazil, has some serious girl power.
The frogs have reticulated, semi-transparent eyelids, spines on their hands, and are named for ancient female warriors of Brazilian lore. (See 13 gorgeous photographs of frogs.)
A team of researchers from Brazil and the U.S. describes the new species, called Boana icamiaba, July 20 in the South American Journal of Herpetology.
The species is a new kind of gladiator frog, a group that has large spines near their thumbs. True to the name, these spines are typically used in male-male combat over females or territory. (Watch: How the Gladiator Tree Frog Earned Its Name)
There are 93 species
