Seven frog species recently identified produce vocalizations that resemble the sound effects from Star Trek

Deep in the forests of Madagascar, researchers have discovered seven new species of frogs and named them after characters. star trek.

“The frog sounds are very reminiscent of the series' iconic futuristic sound effects,” he says. Mark D. Schertz At the Natural History Museum of Denmark.

Bufis mallogesensis A small brownish frog found in the damp forests of Madagascar. The animal was first described in 1994, but over time, researchers began to wonder if this puppy-eyed amphibian was actually more than one species. I did.

To find out, Schatz and his colleagues collected as much data as possible from a variety of individuals. B. mallogesensis Collected over 30 years. They recorded and analyzed the frogs' calls, compared their physical characteristics, and sequenced their DNA.

Their results showed that what was previously thought to be one species of frog is actually eight different species. Physically, they look almost identical, Schertz says. “The main difference is in the sounds they make. Their piercing, high-pitched whistle calls differ in pitch and timing of the whistle.” DNA sequencing also shows genetic differences, making them different It was confirmed that it is a species.

Male frogs attract females with bird-like calls, but because these newly named species live near rivers, they have evolved high-pitched whistles to make their calls stand out from the noise of flowing water. Mr. Schertz thinks so. However, much about the lives of these frogs remains a mystery.

one of the species is named Boufis Khaki, In honor of James T. Kirk. Other members are named after Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisco, Kathryn Janeway, Jonathan Archer, Michael Burnham, and Christopher Pike.

“We wanted to honor captains who lead teams on missions of exploration and discovery,” says Schatz. “This may also serve as a reminder of how much discovery still remains on Earth before we set our sights on the stars.”