A new species of dancing tadpoles have been discovered in the Western Ghats of India. While the Indian dancing frog family to which they belong has been known for 125 years, the tadpoles had until now remained a mystery.
The Indian dancing frogs are named because of their amphibian dance, or the way they move their legs in territorial and sexual displays to attract potential mates.
A team of scientists from India, Sri Lanka and the US discovered the tadpole, which remained undiscovered because they live underground.
Unlike most tadpoles, this rare species from the Indian dancing frog Micrixalidae burrow through sand and live in darkness under the sand beds near streams, until they develop into young frogs. It has muscular bodies like eels and skin-covered eyes that enable them to burrow.
The discovery is significant because there are only four families of such subterranean tadpoles in the world.
The finding is the latest in a string of discoveries of new frog species in India, especially the Western Ghats, many of which were thought to be extinct. These hills in western India are considered to be a biodiversity hotspot, with several unique and ancient amphibians having been found here.