A May 2026 study describes a new species of toad (Duttaphyrnus phawngpui sp. nov.) from Phawngpui National Park, located in southeastern Mizoram along the border with Myanmar. Researchers studied two individuals found at the hilltops. The species was named after Phawngpui, Mizoram’s highest mountain peak at 2,157 metres above sea level.
True toads of the Duttaphyrnus genus occur as many species in varied habitats in South and Southeast Asia — often even in polluted areas. However, the newly described species and its closest relatives, D. stuarti, D. chandai and D. dhara, are largely restricted to the higher ranges of the eastern Himalayas, according to Jayaditya Purkayastha, a co-author of the study. Morphological and DNA analyses of the two specimens collected helped identify distinctions from the previously known species.
Researchers encountered D. phawngpui sp. nov. individuals among leaf litter on the forest floor along the edge of a trail leading to the summit of Phawngpui at above 2,000 masl. The area was abundant in dense ground cover in the form of shrubbery as well as bamboo patches, and had relatively low human disturbance, hinting at the toad’s preferred ecosystem features.
D. phawngpui and its relatives are facing the immediate threat of habitat loss, as the tops of mountains (sky islands) that offer ideal conditions, shrink in size. “They are habitat specific, not generalists, meaning they can only survive in certain conditions. D. phawngpui is a ground dwelling frog that requires grassy patches, high humidity and forest streams, especially for breeding,” says Purkayastha.
The surveys were conducted by researchers from Mizoram University; Assam Don Bosco University; and Help Earth, a nonprofit organisation based in Guwahati. Jayaditya Purkayastha, general secretary at Help Earth, is a herpetologist who says the organisation has been working on amphibian and reptile taxonomy and on-ground conservation since 2006, helping describe over 38 species so far, including Sengupta’s cricket frog (Minerva sengupti) and urban bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus urbanus).
Researchers part of the survey have observed Duttaphyrnus toads in the landscape eating a variety of food based on availability, largely insects like termites, locusts, grasshoppers, cockroaches, etc. but remain uncertain of the new species’ feeding behaviour. D. phawngpui could possibly have a similar diet. Duttaphyrnus toads possess parotid glands that secrete a foul, toxic fluid that make them unappetising for most potential predators, like snakes.
“The species is very susceptible to ecosystem changes. They cannot adapt to high temperatures, and must be considered in conservation efforts as climate change impacts worsen and human encroachment continues up hill tops. Human pressures can trigger dark extinction — the loss of species before we even discover them,” adds Purkayastha.
Banner image: Duttaphyrnus phawngpui sp. nov. Image courtesy of Dawngliana et al.
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