Scientists have discovered it's possible to survive without lungs - if you're an aquatic frog.

A report published in the April 8th issue of Current Biology, confirmed a rare species known as the Barbourula kalimantanensis, breaths through its skin, and only its skin.

Researchers, including David Bickford from the National University of Singapore, alongside Djoko Iskandar and Anggraini Barlian of Institut Teknologi Bandungm in Indonesia, traveled to the Indonesian island of Borneo and fortunately found the amphibian.

"We knew that we would have to be very lucky just to find the frog," said Bickford. "People have been trying for 30 years."

Amphibians are the only tetrapods (four-limbed animals) where lunglessness has occurred. Many salamanders do not have lungs, but Bickford said the complete loss of lungs is a rarity in evolution.

"I have to say that I was very skeptical at first. It just did not seem possible," Bickford explains. "We were all shocked when it turned out to be true."

The lungless frog is an endangered species. Threats to their habitat such as illegal gold mining could hinder further research for scientists.