A newly recognized species of frog belonging to the music frog genus in Taiwan has been confirmed as critically endangered. The Nidirana shyhhuangi, previously classified with its counterpart Nidirana okinavana, or Kampira Falls frog, has been identified as a distinct Taiwanese endemic species following collaborative research between the National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) and the Ministry of Agriculture. The Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute states that the adult population is estimated to be only 300 to 700 individuals nationwide.
Lin Si-min (林思民) from NTNU’s Department of Life Science explains that the unique characteristics of this frog were first noticed in the 1980s by Professor Chen Shi-huang (陳世煌), who observed that it was smaller than the Kampira Falls frog. However, without advanced identification tools available at that time, researchers couldn't definitively classify it as a separate species. Recent detailed examinations revealed significant differences between the two frogs in terms of physical features, patterns, and vocalizations. The Taiwanese species produces faster, higher-pitched calls compared to its larger Kampira Falls counterpart.
The research team began focusing on conservation efforts for the music frog species around 2019, but first needed to clarify its genetic classification to ensure appropriate protection strategies. Their findings were officially published in the international journal "ZooKeys" on February 27 of this year, with the species subsequently added to the American Museum of Natural History's "Amphibian Species of the World" database as the world's 8,862nd formally named amphibian species.
The frog’s habitat has been reduced to wetlands around the Lotus Pond and Sun Moon Lake, facing threats from human-caused fires and large-scale development. While public interest in the species is growing, researchers discourage direct visits to these areas to avoid further endangerment of this population. Instead, interested individuals can visit the Taipei Zoo's endangered species exhibition to hear the frog's distinctive calls and possibly see this rare amphibian in person.