New Frog Species Croaks Like A Star Trek Tricorder
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered seven new species of frogs in Madagascar whose croaks sound like the sound effects from Star Trek. The high-pitched sounds that Star Trek uses for tricorder and communications activity on the TV series are very similar to the croaks of the tiny frogs, scientists say. The Star Trek frogs are difficult to find because they reside deep in the Madagascar jungle like many hard-to-find tree frog species, but researchers say they were worth the trek.
New Frog Species Given Star Trek Captain Names
Miguel Vinces, co-author of the study on the new frog species, says that the spirit of scientific discovery that sent them on a journey through the jungle to find them was part of the reason they got their unique names. The Star Trek-themed names that the frogs were given are Kirk, Picard, Archer, Sisco, Janeway, Burnham, and Pike. While the frogs are definitely of earthly origins, their namesakes are a series of iconic starship captains, in honor of their vocalizations as well as the journey it took to find them.
Found Deep In The Jungles Of Madagascar
While several other species from the genus Boofis, have been documented in Madagascar, the seven new species have a unique, high-pitched croak that many liken to the boatswain’s whistle or a tricorder from Star Trek, giving these frogs a unique place in their jungle ecosystem.
Their discovery is a breakthrough for scientists in documenting an elusive ecosystem in difficult-to-reach jungle environments. With nearly a tenth of Earth’s frog species residing on the island of Madagascar, each new discovery adds to the dearth of frog species in the unique environment.
There’s A Reason They Sound Like Tricorders
The local environment might be a clue to the Star Trek noises that the newly discovered tree frogs are making. Because they tend to live near rushing water from mountain streams, it’s a very loud baseline for the tiny frogs, making lower register croaks like those of European and American frogs less audible. The higher-pitched tricorder noises that the seven Star Trek species of frogs make are likely an adaptation to their cacophonous surroundings, allowing them to break through the background noise in order to be heard.
Used To Find Mates
The reason it’s so important for the frogs’ vocalizations to be audible is that they use their high-pitched croaks to find mates. The Star Trek noises, described by researchers as “advertisement calls” are a mating adaptation, so the calls need to be audible in order for the species to persist. While the seven new species make similar noises, each one has a unique vocalization, identifying them for potential mates.
A Trek That Paid Off
While the Star Trek frogs’ calls do resemble noises from the show, the team of researchers were obviously fans of the franchise, as they chose seven Star Trek captains to name the newly discovered frogs after.
Scientists involved in the discovery of the Star Trek frogs refer to their journey to locate the species in remote mountain forests as a “trek” and liken the adventure to those experienced by Star Trek characters. Further enshrining Stark Trek in the non-fiction science field gives fans a delightful glimpse into the real-life adventures of actual scientists.
Source: Vertebrate Zoology
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