Tiny Newfound Frog Fits on a Fingertip

[n2doc]

By LiveScience Staff
posted: 06 April 2009 06:17 pm ET

A tiny, "midget" frog that can fit on the tip of a finger — and previously only known by its croaking — has finally been found by researchers.

The frog, dubbed Noble’s Pygmy frog (Noblella pygmaea), is the smallest ever found in the Andes and one of the tiniest amphibians in the world.

The amphibian, with an average length of about 0.45 inches (11.4 millimeters) and an unusually long forefinger, was discovered during field work in the highlands of Peru's Manu National Park.

The frog wasn't hard to spot solely because of its small size — its brown color keeps it well camouflaged. But locals helped a team of German and Peruvian herpetologists catch their first glimpse of the creature

Noblella pygmaea inhabits the cloud forest, the montane scrub and the high-elevation grasslands at an altitude from about 9,900 to 10,500 feet (3025 to 3190 meters) above sea level in and around the park.

more:

http://www.livescience.com/animals/09046-tiny-frog.html