New species of toad discovered on Mizoram mountain peak

A newly discovered toad species, named Duttaphyrnus phawngpui, has been identified in southeastern Mizoram's Phawngpui National Park near the Myanmar border. Researchers based their May 2026 study on two specimens found among leaf litter on a forest trail above 2,000 metres on Phawngpui, which is Mizoram's highest mountain peak at 2,157 metres above sea level.

Habitat And Threats

While many Duttaphyrnus toads live across South and Southeast Asia, this new species and its close relatives like D. stuarti, D. chandai, and D. dhara are mostly limited to high eastern Himalayan ranges. Study co-author Jayaditya Purkayastha explains that these toads need specific conditions like grassy patches, high humidity, and forest streams, and they face growing threats from shrinking mountain top habitats, climate change, and human encroachment. Researchers used both physical features and DNA tests to confirm the species is distinct from known ones.

Background

Surveys for the study were carried out by teams from Mizoram University, Assam Don Bosco University, and the Guwahati-based nonprofit Help Earth. Help Earth general secretary Jayaditya Purkayastha notes that his organisation has helped describe more than 38 species since 2006, including Sengupta's cricket frog and the urban bent-toed gecko. While other Duttaphyrnus toads eat insects like termites and grasshoppers and use toxic skin secretions from parotid glands to keep away predators, the exact diet of the new toad is still uncertain.

Context

Mountain tops often act like isolated islands of cool climate surrounded by warmer lowlands, meaning species living there cannot easily move elsewhere as temperatures rise. Conservation scientists frequently refer to these isolated high-altitude zones as sky islands because their unique wildlife cannot survive in the warmer valleys below.