This marble-sized frog, capable of changing its skin texture to mimic its surroundings, has been officially named the "Pristimantis Mutabilis" or "Mutable Rainfrog."

 

First discovered in 2009 by American researchers Katherine and Tim Krynak in Ecuador, it's the first amphibian known to have this unique shape-shifting quality. Upon finding the creature, the pair dubbed it 'punk rocker' due to its spiky texture. But after placing it on a smooth surface they were surprised to notice that the spikes soon disappeared completely, to imitate its flat surroundings.

 

Scientists believe Pristimantis's ability to so dramatically transform its skin within minutes helps it camouflage itself to ward off predators. Due to its minuscule size and ability to camouflage, the mutable rainfrog - or 'transformer frog', as it's been dubbed - has proven difficult to locate, making it hard for scientists to determine the scope of its population.

 

A wide variety of frog species can be found in Ecuador, such as those known as 'glass frogs' because of their transparent skin. The South American country has the third-greatest diversity of amphibians globally, following Brazil and Colombia.