Scientists have discovered three new species of frog high in the cloud-shrouded peaks of the Cordillera de Huancabamba in northwestern Peru.
The frogs – Pristimantis chinguelas, Pristimantis nunezcortezi and Pristimantis yonke – were found during a series of tough expeditions led by Peruvian herpetologist Germán Chávez between 2021 and 2024.
The team spent these years trekking through moss-covered forests, wet páramo (montane vegetation) and steep mountain trails, often in areas with no road access and rapidly changing weather. Their findings, published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics, show just how rich and under explored the Andes remain.
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Frogs in the highlands
The Cordillera de Huancabamba is a rugged landscape of steep, exposed ridges. The soil in this part of the Andes is loose and muddy, and the weather can be very changeable. It's no wonder the region is so rarely explored by herpetologists (scientists who specialise in the study of reptiles and amphibians).
So, when Chávez and the team set about journeying into the mountains, they knew they had a challenge on their hands.
The researchers sampled four sites in the Cordillera de Huancabamba, conducting nocturnal surveys that typically involved walking 5–6 hours per night. "Active searches were performed by carefully scanning the ground, vegetation and water edges using headlamps to detect amphibians," the study reveals.
Finding amphibians wasn't easy, but the team's persistence paid off – after years of searching, they had discovered three new species of frog.
“They’re small and unassuming,” says Chávez, “but these frogs are powerful reminders of how much we still don’t know about the Andes.”
Meet the new frog species
Each of the three new species was found in a distinct habitat and tells its own story.
P. chinguelas (pictured above) was discovered clinging to cliffsides on Cerro Chinguelas, one of the mountains in the study area. It has large tubercles on its body and a high-pitched 'peep' that can be heard echoing through the night.
P. nunezcortezi (pictured below) lives near a cool mountain stream in a regenerating forest. With black blotches on its axillae and groins, it was named after ornithologist Elio Nuñez-Cortez, a conservation pioneer in the region.
P. yonke (pictured at the top of the article) is the smallest of the trio. It was found in bromeliads at nearly 3,000 metres. Its name refers to 'yonque', a local sugarcane spirit that helps locals endure the chilly highlands.
“Exploring this area is more than fieldwork – it’s an immersion into wilderness, culture and resilience,” says co-author Karen Victoriano-Cigüeñas.
While discovering new species is exciting, the team say the future of these frogs is uncertain after observing signs of environmental pressure, including fire damage and habitat loss due to agriculture.
All three species are currently listed as Data Deficient on the IUCN Red List, meaning there isn’t yet enough information to assess their conservation status.
“The Cordillera de Huancabamba is not just a remote range – it’s a living archive of biodiversity and cultural legacy,” concludes co-author Wilmar Aznaran. "And we’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Top image: a view from the expedition in Huancabamba. Credit: Germán Chávez
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