Researchers in Panama have identified a new bright orange species of poison dart frog that was collected back in 2011 in the area of Donoso.

The discovery of the new dart frog -- so called because it secretes a toxic substance known to be used on the tips of darts and arrows by local tribes -- was led by scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí, both in Panama, as well as the Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.

The species description published in Zootaxa names the bright-colored critter Andinobates geminisae, after Geminis Vargas, "the beloved wife of [the study's co-author] Marcos Ponce, for her unconditional support of his studies of Panamanian herpetology," a news release explained.

According to the research institute, every new species description must be accompanied by a representative specimen.

The type specimen for the new species was collected specifically on Feb. 21, 2011 in the headwaters of the Rio Caño, in the district of Donoso, Colón Province, Panama, by Samuel Valdés, who was the environment office director for MWH Global Inc., a water resources engineering firm, and his field assistant, Carlos de la Cruz. Additional specimens were later collected between the Rio Coclé del Norte and the Rio Belen by biologists Marcos Ponce and Abel Batista, the latter of which was a student at the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí.

The specimens were turned over to the Museo de Vertebrados at the University of Panama, the Museo Herpetólogico de Chiriquí at the Universidad Autónoma de Chiriquí and in the Círculo Herpetólogico de Panamá.

"Abel Batista and Marcos Ponce were the first to note the presence of this species," said Smithsonian herpetologist Cesar Jaramillo. "They've known it was there for several years. However, they were not sure if it was only a variety of another poison dart frog species, Oophaga pumilio, which exhibits tremendous color variation. Based on morphological characteristics of the adult and the tadpole, I thought it might be a new species of Andinobates."

Andrew Crawford, a professor at Universidad de Los Andes and a former STRI postdoctoral fellow, sequenced the DNA and confirmed the orange frog was a new species of Andinobates.

Because thenew frog species appears to be found in only a very small area, the authors of the study recommend the formulation of special conservation plans to guarantee its survival, amid ongoing loss of habitat loss and collecting for the pet trade.

Andinobates geminisae will be included in the captive breeding program of the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation project, a consortium of six zoos and research institutions dedicated to saving amphibians from the chytrid fungal disease, which is decimating amphibians worldwide, and habitat loss.

Genetic information about this species is available in the Barcode of Life Data System and in GenBank. A recording of the call is available at AmphibiaWeb.org.