Frogs that whistle “like sound effects from Star Trek” have been discovered by scientists.

Most people would associate frogs with croaking, but the newly identified animals in Madagascar, an island off the southeastern coast of Africa, emit special bird-like whistling sounds in their communication with other Boophis species frogs, commonly known as bright-eyed or skeleton frogs.

These noises reminded the research team, led by Prof Miguel Vences of the Technische Universitat Braunschweig, Germany, of the sound effects on Star Trek.