Scientists have described three toad species in Tanzania, including the Luhomero Glandular Tree Toad (Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis), that give birth to live young — a rare phenomenon among frogs and toads. Photo Credit: John Lyakurwa
Animals TanzaniaScientists Reveal a Wave of Life Hidden in Plain Sight
Researchers identified multiple new animal species in 2025, from ancient sea cows to deep-sea fish, expanding knowledge of Earth’s biodiversity and strengthening the case for protecting fragile ecosystems.
“If we lose them, we lose a very big evolutionary history,” said John Lyakurwa, biologist at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, reflecting on the significance of newly identified species.
The discoveries include a 21-million-year-old sea cow species that shaped carbon-storing seagrass ecosystems, a new marsupial in the Andes, a previously unknown spider genus in California, US, a deep-sea snailfish nearly 11,000 feet below the surface, and three live-birthing toads in Tanzania. Together, the findings show that even in 2025, scientists are still uncovering fundamental life forms, highlighting both the richness of nature and the urgency of conservation as habitats face accelerating pressure.
