A team of approximately 25 leading biologists, including Dr. Jodi Rowley, has embarked on an ambitious expedition to Jawoyn country, located near Katherine in the Northern Territory of Australia. Their mission is to document the rare and unique species that call this biologically diverse region home. Dr. Rowley is a globally acclaimed frog expert and the genius behind the FrogID initiative. Despite the rarity of these findings, according to Professor Shine, it’s a big deal— new species of Australian frogs are continually being discovered, even in established suburbs.
In just the last month, four new species of frogs have been described from within Australia. Dr. Rowley reminds us that it’s an “iterative discovery process.” It uncovers the urgent need to know what biodiversity thrives in each environment— from tundra to metropolitan jungles.
Exploring Frog Diversity
Dr. Rowley, renowned for her work with amphibians, does a lot of her frog hunting at Edith Falls, or Leliyn. As she scans the rocks with her head torch, she looks for the telltale glowing eyes of these elusive creatures.
“They have enormous thighs and jet propulsion,” Dr. Rowley explains, describing the remarkable physical adaptations of certain frog species. Her passion for these animals is evident as she notes that they can resemble “a cross between a lawnmower and a chicken.”
The purpose of the expedition is to discover new frog species. It aims to improve our knowledge of Australia’s amphibians and reptiles. Indeed, today’s estimates indicate that as much as 20 percent of these fantastical creatures still don’t have a scientific name.
“We still don’t know how many frogs or reptiles we have,” – Dr. Jodi Rowley
The Ants of Arnhem Land
This savanna country near Jawoyn has an incredible diversity of ants. Their research leads them to believe that more than 8,000 of these species make this region home. One of the members of our team, François Brassard, made a particularly tantalizing find just a few days ago. He discovered colonies of a common native ant species that a new, possibly parasitic, fungus has infested. This interesting and anomalous finding is a reminder of the complex and still largely unknown connections within ecosystems and the surprises yet to be discovered among invertebrates.
It’s thought that invertebrates hold the highest percentage of undescribed species of any group of animals on earth. According to local expert Mr. Archibald, it’s important to document these species.
“It becomes a baseline for that point in time,” he states, underscoring the importance of ongoing research in understanding ecological changes over time. As to what these long-term trends may mean, he says, “In 10 years, or in 20 or 30 years, if this whole cohort of butterflies has disappeared, something is certainly going on.
New Discoveries Await
Our West Australian expert Nikolai Tatarnic made some really cool discoveries! In addition to the frog and ant discoveries, he found resin-producing bugs and feather-legged bugs, which may be unknown to Western science. This highlights the amazing potential for new discoveries during expeditions like this one, making them so fantastic.
Even while they make exciting discoveries, scientists are deeply aware of the ecological dynamics shaping their work. Dr. Abbott notes, “We don’t know how the ecology of this symbiosis works,” referring to the interactions between different species within their environment.
“We’re hoping on this trip we’re filling in some of those gaps, getting a better handle on things, and maybe — hopefully — discovering species new to science.”
This expedition serves as a reminder of the untapped biological wealth present in Australia’s landscapes and the critical need for specialized knowledge from experts across the country.
This expedition serves as a reminder of the untapped biological wealth present in Australia’s landscapes and the critical need for specialized knowledge from experts across the country.
“We need these specialists that are often based down south to come and let us know what’s here,” Mr. Archibald concludes.
