Newly discovered frog species named after English rock band Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin was a world-renowned English rock band, which was formed in 1968 and now, in a surprising turn of events, a new frog species has been named after the group. Scientists have discovered a new species of frogs in the Andes Mountains and named it after the English band to honour their legacy. The small, coppery-eyed frog is part of the pristimantis genus, which consists of nearly 570 species, many found near the South American mountain range Andes. 

Frog species named after Led Zeppelin 

According to a report by BBC News, a new species of frogs was found in the Andes last year and it has now been given the name Led Zeppelin, in order to honor the former English rock band. Pristimantis ledzeppelin is a ground-breeding frog found in a part of the Ecuadorean Andes known as the Cordillera del Cóndor. There are more than 500 known frogs in this genus and Ecuador has the highest number. This particular species was discovered between Ecuador and Peru by two scientists, Carolina Reyes Puig and David Brito-Zapata. 

(Image - Carolina Reyes Puig, David Brito-Zapata)

The country’s National Institute of Biodiversity stated that the new frog had been given its name to honor Led Zeppelin’s extraordinary and influential music. The scientists discovered the amphibian in a cloud forest around 1,700m above sea level with a tree canopy up to 20m high, where many of the trunks were covered in moss and leaf litter covers the ground. Pristimantis ledzeppelin has brown eyes and copper skin. The males are about 24mm long whereas females can reach 36mm. 

More about Led Zeppelin 

The English band which was formed in 1968 consisted of four band members including vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The rock band made its debut in the year 1969 with the album titled Led Zeppelin, which was a top-ten album in several countries, and featured such tracks as Good Times Bad Times, Dazed and Confused and Communication Breakdown. Led Zeppelin is one of the best-selling music artists of all time and various sources estimate the group's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide. 

Image - Led Zeppelin's Official Instagram Account