New frog species found in South China's Guangdong, named after kung fu

GUANGZHOU -- A new frog species has been discovered in the city of Foshan in South China's Guangdong province. It has been given the name Leptobrachella kungfu, inspired by the Chinese martial art, honoring Foshan's cultural legacy as a renowned "City of Kung Fu."

This discovery, jointly made by researchers from Guangdong Polytechnic of Environmental Protection Engineering and the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Environmental Science, was published on Wednesday in the international taxonomic journal ZooKeys.

According to the research team, the new species was identified through a combination of morphological characteristics and molecular analysis. They found that this species is small in size -- with six collected adult male specimens ranging from 25.7 mm to 28.2 mm in snout-vent length.

This frog has a distinct black line behind its eye, slightly webbed toes with wide edges, uninterrupted ridges under its toes and rough back skin without any larger folds.

It is mainly found in hilly parts of the western Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, a densely populated and highly urbanized region.

"The discovery shows that even small patches of nature within big cities are crucial homes for unique species and need our protection," said team leader Lin Shishi, adding that it reflects ongoing progress in detailed and specialized biodiversity surveys in the region.

The research team has also developed an identification guide for the genus Leptobrachella in Guangdong to support further species recognition and conservation efforts.