New Species of Shape-Shifting Frog Can Change Its Skin

A newly discovered species of frog may be a type of shapeshifters. Scientists have discovered a frog in Ecuador's western Andean cloud forest that changes its skin texture in minutes to mimic the exture that it sits on.

The new species is called Pristimantis mutabilis, or mutable rainfrog, and can be found at Reserva Las Gralarias, a nature reserve originally created to protect endangered birds. The researchers that first discovered the frog believe that their findings could have broad implications for how species are and have been identified. The process may actually require photographs and longer observations in the field to ensure the one species is not perceived as two due to the ability to change their appearance.

The researchers first captured the tiny frog, which was spiny, and put it into a cup with a lid. The next day when they set it on a smooth white sheet of plastic to photograph, though, the frog was smooth-skinned. The scientists then put the frog back in the cup and added some moss. In just a few seconds, the spines reformed to match the moss.

"The spines and coloration help them blend into mossy habitats, making it hard for us to see them," said Katherine Krynak, one of the researchers, in a news release. "But whether the texture really helps them elude predators still needs to be tested."

This isn't the only frog that has this shape shifting ability, though. Researchers discovered that Prismantis sobetes, a relative with similar markings but about twice the size of P. mutabilis, also has the ability to turn from smooth to spiny.

Currently, the researchers hope to find more relatives and whether or not they have the ability to shift skin texture.

The findings are published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).