Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) team discovers Brachycephalus lulai in Brazil’s cloud forests

Key facts

• A team of scientists has discovered a new species of tiny toadlet in the cloud forests of Brazil's Serra do Quiriri mountain range.
• This bright orange frog measures just 8.9-13.4 mm in length, making it one of the smallest four-legged animals on Earth.
• This species is deaf to its own advertising calls, relying on visual cues like vocal sac inflation, mouth gaping, and arm waving for communication.
• After detailed analysis, they named it Brachycephalus lulai after the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
• Found in the Atlantic Forest, which is a highly threatened ecosystem, Brachycephalus lulai inhabits leaf litter at elevations above 750 meters.