Scientists in Western Australia have found a tree frog that is a bright blue , rather than its usual green , due to a rare genetic mutation.

The magnificent blue tree frog was spotted at the Charnley River-Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kimberley region, according to a statement from the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) this week.

This is the first time a blue color mutation has been recorded in the magnificent tree frog, according to the AWC.

“It was after shade when we first spotted her, perched on a bench in the workshop near our research facility ,” AWC field ecologist Jake Barker said in Monday’s (8) statement .

“It was very exciting. Magnificent tree frogs are spectacular enough, but seeing a blue one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

This type of mutation is extremely rare , according to Jodi Rowley, curator of Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biology at the Australian Museum.

“Very occasionally, a green frog has no yellow pigment in its skin, and this results in a frog that is entirely or mostly blue,” she said in the statement .

“I’ve seen tens of thousands of frogs over the years, and I’ve only ever seen one blue frog — and it wasn’t nearly as spectacular as this magnificent tree frog. A rare encounter , and one that highlights the spectacular volubility of Australia’s frogs.”

Mutation involves one of the largest amphibian species in Australia

The magnificent tree frog, or Litoria splendida, is found only in the northern Kimberley and nearby parts of the Northern Territory of Australia. It grows to around 12 centimetres (5 inches) long , making it one of the largest amphibian species in the country.

“This is one of several Northwest endemic species that we regularly encounter here ,” Barker said in the statement .

“They’re not found anywhere else. That’s the great thing about working in the Kimberley – you never know what rare wildlife you’ll see each day.”

Source : CNN