‘Large’ fanged creature found lurking in dark swamp in Vietnam. It’s a new species
As night fell across a swamp in southern Vietnam, a “large” fanged creature sat in the murky water. Its reddish eyes scanned the surrounding forest, but it wasn’t the only one looking.
Passing scientists noticed the “robust” animal — and discovered a new species.
Researchers ventured into the forests and swamps of Lâm Đồng Province several times in 2023 to search for wildlife, according to a study published Jan. 16 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. The region “harbors great species richness,” including some native species.
During their nighttime surveys, researchers encountered some vaguely familiar-looking frogs and caught them. But when they compared the newly caught frogs to other “true” examples of the known species, the animals didn’t match.
Researchers quickly realized they’d discovered a new species: Limnonectes splendissimus, or the splendid fanged frog.
Splendid fanged frogs are considered “large,” reaching over 4 inches in length, the study said. They have “smooth,” “robust” bodies with “long” legs. Their “enlarged” heads have muscular jaws with “fang-like” growths.
Photos show the “dark reddish brown” coloring of adult splendid fanged frogs. They vary in hue but generally have a scattering of black markings and a few bumps. Seen from below, their stomachs are “white” with some tinges of “orange” or “light golden.”
In photos, the new species’ eyes look bright “orangy-red” because of the “flash photography,” researchers said. Their eyes are actually a mix of “light orangish red and light greyish spots.”
Juveniles of the new species look slightly different than adults, the study said. From above, their backs are more reddish with more pronounced markings. Seen from below, they have “a very distinct belly” split between a “black and white pattern” and yellow-orange sections.
Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word “splendissimus” because of “splendid coloration on the underside of young” frogs.
Splendid fanged frogs were found at night in swamps, water holes and forests at elevations of more than 4,200 feet, the study said. “Females carry eggs in September, and juveniles were found in February.”
So far, splendid fanged frogs have only been found at a few sites in Lâm Đồng Province of southern Vietnam, the study said. The province is roughly 170 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
The new species was identified by its size, head shape, coloring, mouth, finger shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 8% genetic divergence from other related species.
The research team included Manh Van Le, Luan Thanh Nguyen, Robert Murphy, Tuyet-Dzung Thi Tran, Sang Ngoc Nguyen and Jing Che.
This story was originally published January 17, 2025 at 9:47 AM with the headline "‘Large’ fanged creature found lurking in dark swamp in Vietnam. It’s a new species."
