The bones of this cute new toadlet illuminate in the dark

 


    It's a little orange toadlet like this. Well, this creature is called a toadlet—that is the scientific name for it. It's only found in the Mantiqueira mountains of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, and its bones fluoresce when exposed to UV light. It's very cute.
    The present extent of the Atlantic Forest is just around a fifth of what it once was, but it is home to over 11,000 endangered species. Up to 90% of the amphibians found there are native to the forest, meaning they can only be found there.
    This pumpkin toadlet resembles a different breed of pumpkin toadlet. You wouldn't recognize this small frog from its cousin if you come across one while wandering through the woods (they're hard to find because they hide among the leaf litter). It's unknown what purpose the fluorescent bones represent, but they may be related to communication.

    It can seem negligible to add one more frog species to the Atlantic Forest's vast frog population. However, it is only through this cataloging that scholars can completely comprehend how much we lose as we hack down trees and clear thick undergrowth. Though these toadlets aren't in danger (they live in a protected area), many species in this region are. And as the forest—and the wildlife it supports—disappear, scientists are frantically adding to the list. This particular pumpkin toadlet is a particularly sweet addition.

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