Sun Feb 16 10:46:38 UTC 2025: ## Hollywood Star Leonardo DiCaprio Honored with New Frog Species Discovery
**QUITO, ECUADOR** – A newly discovered frog species in Ecuador has been named *Phyllonastes Dicaprioi* in honor of Academy Award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, recognizing his longstanding commitment to environmental conservation. The small, brown frog with darker spots was found in the Western Mountain Forest of El Oro province, at elevations between 1,330 and 1,705 meters.
The discovery, announced by researchers from Ecuador’s National Institute of Biodiversity, the Catholic University of Ecuador, and the San Francisco University of Quito (USFQ), is one of seven new species identified in the region. USFQ emphasized the importance of protecting the unique habitats supporting these diverse species.
This is not the first time DiCaprio’s environmental advocacy has been acknowledged through scientific nomenclature. Last October, a new snake species in the Himalayas was named *Anguiculus dicaprioi*. The researchers cited DiCaprio’s support for the closure of a controversial oil drilling project in Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park as a key factor in their decision to honor him with the frog’s name. His Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, founded in 1998, actively raises awareness about environmental issues.
The naming of *Phyllonastes Dicaprioi* follows a trend of honoring celebrities known for their environmental work through new species discoveries. Previous examples include a snake named after Harrison Ford and a pistol shrimp named after the band Pink Floyd.
First Piper 