Three new cascade frog species discovered in northeast India

Three new cascade frog species were published from Northeast India and West Bengal on 12 August 2026 in the peer-reviewed Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology. The study was led by Prof. S. D. Biju of the Department of Environmental Studies at Delhi University and used DNA analysis, morphological comparison, and field surveys across more than 300 geographic populations of cascade frogs.

Cascade frogs and their habitat

Cascade frogs belong to the genus Amolops, which includes stream-dwelling frogs adapted to fast-flowing forest streams. These frogs are usually associated with hill streams, rocky watercourses, and humid forest habitats in the Eastern Himalaya and adjoining regions.

The three newly identified species

The three species are Ammachi’s Cascade Frog (Amolops ammachi), Sendenyu Cascade Frog (Amolops sendenyu), and Beautiful Cascade Frog (Amolops bella). Amolops ammachi was found in the Jampui Hills of Tripura and was named after Padmini Varkey, a Kerala social worker and philanthropist known as Ammachi.

Amolops sendenyu was recorded from Nagaland and was named after Sendenyu Village. Amolops bella was recorded from West Bengal and was described with a green body and yellowish-green or reddish-brown mosaic patterns.

Research method and taxonomic basis

The identification combined DNA-based evidence with detailed study of adult frogs and tadpoles. The research covered more than 300 populations of cascade frogs, which is a standard taxonomic approach for separating closely related amphibian species.

Important Facts for Exams

• Amolops is a genus of frogs commonly called cascade frogs or torrent frogs.
• Amphibians are vertebrates that generally have moist skin and undergo metamorphosis from tadpole to adult.
• Tripura, Nagaland, and West Bengal are Indian states with rich amphibian diversity in forested hill and stream habitats.
• DNA analysis and morphological comparison are widely used in modern species identification and taxonomy.

Additional species records in India

Researchers also recorded five cascade frog species in India for the first time: Amolops afghanus, Amolops nepalicus, Amolops wangyali, Amolops medogensis, and Amolops bellulus. These records add to the known distribution of the genus Amolops in South and South-East Asia.