New ‘Elfin Toad’ Discovered in Vietnam

• A team of Russian and Vietnamese researchers described Ophryophryne elfina, the Elfin mountain toad, in the journal ZooKeys last month.
• The toad, one of the smallest species of horned mountain toads ever described to science, was given the name Ophryophryne elfina, which roughly translates to "elfish eyebrow toad” — and the researchers who made the discovery say that there is evidence to suggest that the species could already be considered endangered.
• The species name "elfina," of course, derives from the English word "elf," small, magical forest creatures found in German and Celtic folklore.

A new species of Asian mountain toad belonging to the genus Ophryophryne has been discovered in the Truong Son or Annamite mountains of Vietnam, an area of high diversity for the group.

The toad, one of the smallest species of horned mountain toads ever described to science, was given the name Ophryophryne elfina, which roughly translates to “elfish eyebrow toad” — and the researchers who made the discovery say that there is evidence to suggest that the species could already be considered endangered.

A team of Russian and Vietnamese researchers described Ophryophryne elfina, the Elfin mountain toad, in the journal ZooKeys last month.-read more