Kermit the Frog is alive and living in the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica.
Scientists have discovered a new species of glassfrog in the Caribbean foothills with pictures of the amphibian showing a striking resemblance to the famous green puppet.
Like many glassfrogs, the new species, latin name Hyalinobatrachium dianae, has a translucent underside that makes its internal organs visible.
The new species was discovered by scientists from the Costa Rican Amphibian Research Centre. According to their website the H. dianae is named in honour of senior researcher Brian Kubicki's mother, Diane. The finding was described in the scientific journal Zootaxa.
There are 14 other glassfrog varieties found in Costa Rica, with the last one being described in 1973.
Amphibian biologist Jodi Rowley said Costa Rica was an amphibian hotspot so it wasn't surprising that another glassfrog had been found there. There are about 150 members of the glassfrog family.
"But it's exciting to see other people get excited," said Dr Rowley, from the Australian Museum Research Institute.
Costa Rica's frog populations have been decimated by the deadly chytrid fungus, said Dr Rowley. However the country had done a good job conserving frog habitat, the destruction of which was a major threat to many frogs species around the world.
