We thought they all croaked ... but the Frankixalus frogs are back!

In ribbiting news, two mysterious tree frog specimens collected by a British naturalist over a century ago have been rediscovered in the Indian wilds by renowned Indian biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju, known as ' The Frogman of India'.

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The Frankixalus frogs are a type of tree frogs, and most tree frogs live in shrubs or tree holes closer to the ground.

Photo: AP

Rather than nascent teeth, the tadpoles have smooth, suction-like mouths to pull in the eggs the mother lays to feed them.

Photo: AP

The frogs live in tree holes up to 6 metres above the ground.

Photo: AP

Their eyes are positioned on the top of their heads, rather than on the sides. Biologist Sathyabhama Das Biju suggests the feature may help the tadpoles see eggs being dropped by mother frogs into the hole during feeding time.

Photo: AP

Fully grown, the frogs are about as big as a golf ball.

Photo: AP

Undigested eggs were found in the tadpoles bellies, suggesting the mother come back over and over to drop these eggs for her babies to eat.

Photo: AP

The tree frogs display unusual maternal behaviour, with the females laying fertilised eggs in a tree hole filled with water, and then returning at regular intervals after the tadpoles hatch to feed them with unfertilised eggs.

Photo: AP

Industrial growth amid a decade-long economic boom has also increased pollution, to which frogs are particularly vulnerable.

Photo: AP

Amphibian biologist and scientist SD Biju works in his lab on a newly found genus of frogs named Frankixalus jerdonii, at Systematics Lab of the University of Delhi, Department of Environmental Studies, in New Delhi.

Photo: AP

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