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It’s not often that a new species is found in a group of well-studied amphibians. But Ben Evans, Biology, was part of a team that reported the discovery of six new species of the African clawed frog, and returned another to the list of known species. Published in the journal PLOS ONE, the team used data ranging from DNA analysis, voice recordings, CT scanning of internal anatomy, chromosome analysis and more. The clawed frogs, found in west and central sub-Saharan Africa, live in slow moving or stagnant water and are characterized by flattened bodies, vocal organs which can produce sound underwater, and claws on its first three toes. Better understanding biodiversity is critical for supporting conservation efforts.

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