Discovering Mexico’s Smallest Frogs | Tom Jameson
Recent research has revealed six new species of frogs from Mexico. Smaller than a 1p coin, these frogs are the smallest in Mexico and are among the smallest vertebrates in the world. They are part of the Craugastor mexicanus group, direct developing frogs endemic to Mexico that spend their lives in the leaf litter of mountain forests. A complex taxonomic history and elusive lifestyle had kept these frogs hidden from scientists.
These new species were revealed through a painstaking investigation involving international collaboration, expeditions through the forests of Mexico, deep dives into obscure taxonomic archives, and detailed genetic and morphological analyses. In this talk Tom Jameson discusses the journey to discover Mexico’s smallest frogs, why and how frogs get so small, and the conservation actions needed to protect tiny frogs.
Tom Jameson is a PhD candidate in Zoology at the University of Cambridge, a researcher at the University Museum of Zoology, and a Chester Zoo Conservation Scholar.
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