New Poisonous Frog Species Discovered in Peru’s Amazon Rainforest

Scientists in Peru have identified a new species of poisonous frog in the Amazon, remarkable for its bright colors and tiny size.

The newly discovered amphibian, named Ranitomeya hwata, measures just about 15 millimeters in length, making it the smallest known member of the Ranitomeya genus, according to a statement released Monday by Peru’s National Service of Protected Natural Areas (Sernanp).

The species was found in the bamboo forests of the Guadua genus within Alto Purus National Park, a vast protected area in eastern Peru bordering Brazil.

Researchers say the frog’s discovery underscores the park’s ecological importance as a sanctuary for rare and endemic wildlife.

Sernanp explained that Ranitomeya hwata exhibits the genus’s signature traits: vivid coloration and unusual breeding habits.

Males typically gather several females at a single breeding site, using water trapped inside hollow bamboo stems as nurseries for their offspring.

“The discovery highlights the immense biodiversity hidden within Peru’s protected areas and the critical role they play in safeguarding unique species,” Sernanp stated.