High Fives for Staten Island's Very Own Frog Species

Atlantic Coast Leopard Frogs

Eighty years ago a New York zoologist had a hunch that a certain type of frog on Staten Island should be its own species. He couldn't prove it in his lifetime. But a group of scientists just did.

Back in 1937, Carl Kauffeld, a herpetologist at the American Museum of Natural History, had a hunch that the frogs he was seeing in the city were something different. They had a slightly different patterning and shape. His idea briefly gained traction, but was ultimately discarded because at the time there was just no way to prove whether the frogs constituted a different species. So for decades, they were lumped in with other Leopard frogs.

Then, a few years ago, a team of researchers from Rutgers decided to take another look. They examined some living on Staten Island, and brought in something not-available in 1937: a geneticist. 

There are two main definitions of species. One, biological species, refers to individuals within a population that can interbreed and produce viable offspring. The other definition is based on phylogeny, the structure of genetics, how species have evolved over time, and how much genetic distance between one group and another.

With the help of a geneticist, the team was able to prove the animals are actually something genetically distinct from other Leopard frogs.

"There might have been some jumping up and down," recalled Dr. Matthew Schlesinger, the head of zoology at the New York Natural Heritage Program, who was part of the team. "There might have been some high fives going around."

The scientists published a paper last fall naming the new species the Atlantic Coast Leopard Frog.

 

Now, with virtually nothing known about this animal, the team trying to track and learn about its range and habits. "It's like we're trying to write the page of the field guide that's devoted to this species," Schlesinger said.

Oh, and the Latin name they chose for the new species? Rana kauffeldi — a nod to the natural history museum herpetologist.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this web story misstated Kauffeld's position at the American Museum of Natural History. The text was updated at 11 a.m., Sept.25, 2015.

Hypothesis is written and produced by Alec Hamilton and edited by Matthew Schuerman. Sound design and engineering by Liora Noam-Kravitz. Original music by Josh Burnett.