Scientists have discovered three new animal species — two frogs and a gecko — on Dauan Island, a small, boulder-covered island in the far northern Torres Strait.
The expedition, led by Dr. Conrad Hoskin of James Cook University, uncovered the species during fieldwork on the 3 sq km island, the northernmost point of the Great Dividing Range. “When you approach it, it looks like a big triangle sticking out of the sea,” Hoskin said. “It’s covered in car- and house-sized granite boulders piled up.”
The new gecko, Nactus simakal, has long legs and a distinct banded pattern. It was the first discovery of the trip, after researcher Alexander Davies suggested the island might host undocumented reptiles.
During a rainy night, researchers also heard two unfamiliar frog calls — both belonging to species new to science. The smaller frog, Choerophyrne koeypad (meaning “rocky mountain”), is tiny — about the size of a fingernail — and produces a high-pitched metallic tapping sound. Its large toe pads help it climb across boulders and vegetation.
The larger species, Callulops gobakula (“boulders”), has a deeper croak similar to that of a green tree frog and lives within cracks between rocks. Both frogs belong to the microhylid family and likely breed terrestrially, meaning their young hatch directly from eggs without a tadpole stage.
Hoskin said the species’ closest relatives live in New Guinea’s central ranges, suggesting Dauan’s cool, shaded boulder fields helped them survive in isolation. “These frogs have only survived on this island because of those deep boulder fields that buffer them from the heat,” he explained.
Dauan Island councillor Torenzo Elisala said the discoveries highlight the island’s cultural and ecological importance. “Our community has been tucked away in the Guda Maluilgal nation for millennia,” he said. “These discoveries show how special our island is and add to its tourism potential.”
The new species were formally described in two papers published in the journal Zootaxa.
