May 4, 2009--The tiny toadlet--an "extremely shy" new species (pictured)--had escaped detection by scientists for centuries until a research team heard its unusual call recently near a camp in Western Australia.

The 0.8-inch-long (2-centimeter-long) creature--discovered by Western Australian Museum scientists near a river in the Kimberley region—is not actually a toad but one of a group of native frogs with stocky, toadlike builds.

"Other than being able to describe these two new species, we know very little about their behavior and habits," museum herpetologist Paul Doughty said in an April 2009 statement.

"To me they are like new friends that we are just getting to know," he said.