By Dean Murray

A new species of tiny frog no bigger than a pencil tip has been discovered.

The bright orange amphibian was spotted in the mountain forests of Serra do Quiriri in southern Brazil, prompting fresh calls for stronger conservation of the region’s fragile habitats.

Belonging to a group of miniature “pumpkin toadlets” that live in damp leaf litter, the species is distinguished by its vivid coloring and genetic and anatomical traits that set it apart from closely related frogs found nearby.

More from this section +2

Trump 'frustrated' with Kyiv, Moscow over talks on war +6

Australia bans under-16s from social media in world-first crackdown

Canada launches billion dollar plan to recruit top researchers

Researchers say that the minuscule species are between 8.9

See Full Page