ScienceDaily: New Species News

Two miniature spider species discovered in Giant Panda Sanctuaries of China

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:58:58 EDT

Two tiny, bizarre shaped spider species have been discovered in the Sichuan province and Chongqing city of China. The two species belong to the understudied Mysmenidae family, which prove difficult to find due to their small size (under 2 mm in total) and their cryptic lifestyle habits.

The pirate ant: A new species from the Philippines with a bizarre pigmentation pattern

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:22 EDT

Scientists discovered and described a bizarre species of pirate ant. The new Cardiocondyla pirata has its name inspired by its strange pigmentation that consist of two eye-patch like dark stripes across the eyes of the female caste. Although it is supposed that this pattern has a protective function for disorienting the enemy, there are still many questions that will challenge the minds of biologists.

Fourteen closely related crocodiles existed around 5 million years ago

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:13 EDT

Today, the most diverse species of crocodile are found in northern South America and Southeast Asia: As many as six species of alligator and four true crocodiles exist, although no more than two or three ever live alongside one another at the same time. It was a different story nine to about five million years ago, however, when a total of 14 different crocodile species existed and at least seven of them occupied the same area at the same time, paleontologists say.

Lovelorn frogs bag closest crooner

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:51:51 EDT

What lures a lady frog to her lover? Good looks, the sound of his voice, the size of his pad or none of the above? After weighing up their options, female strawberry poison frogs (Oophaga pumilio) bag the closest crooner they can. This seemingly short-sighted strategy turns out to be the optimal mate choice strategy for these colorful frogs.

Invasive species: 'Away-field advantage' weaker than ecologists thought

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:23:23 EDT

For decades, ecologists have assumed the worst invasive species—such as brown tree snakes and kudzu—have an “away-field advantage.” They succeed because they do better in their new territories than they do at home. A new study reveals that this fundamental assumption is not nearly as common as people might think.

World's most extraordinary species mapped for the first time

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:44:44 EDT

The black-and-white ruffed lemur, Mexican salamander and Sunda pangolin all feature on the first map of the world's most unique and threatened mammals and amphibians.

'Fish thermometer' reveals long-standing, global impact of climate change

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:15:15 EDT

Climate change has been impacting global fisheries for the past four decades by driving species towards cooler, deeper waters, according to scientists.

Tiny water creepy crawlies from South Korea and the Russian Far East

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:38:38 EDT

Tiny and hard to notice for the human eye water mites are present almost every stream and in in every continent apart from Antarctica. A new study explores the water mites of the family Torrenticolidae from a variety of habitats in South Korea and the Russian species, providing the description of two new species.

When green means danger: A stunning new species of palm-pitviper from Honduras

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:29:29 EDT

A remarkable new species of bright green palm-viper has been discovered in a threatened cloud forest in Honduras, and is named to honor grassroots conservationist Mario Guifarro, who was assassinated in 2007. Despite being superficially similar to other Honduran palm pitvipers, the closest relative to the new species lives over 600 km to the south in Costa Rica.

Do potatoes grow on vines? A review of the wild relatives of some favorite food plants

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:14:14 EDT

Solanum is is well-known for its agriculturally important species such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants, but also has many species that are less well known. The vining solanums related to the woody nightshade are often used as ornamentals. A new study completely revises the understanding of these vining species, known as the Dulcamaroid clade, providing extensive community-shared knowledge of the genus.

Productivity increases with species diversity, just as Darwin predicted

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:28:28 EDT

Environments containing species that are distantly related to one another are more productive than those containing closely related species, according to new research.

Revealing hidden fungal species using DNA: The importance of recognizing cryptic diversity

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:45:45 EDT

In contrast to traditional approaches using morphological characters to delimit species, five new lichen-forming fungal species were described from what was traditionally considered a single species using genetic data exclusively. The new species can be identified using DNA barcoding. This pioneering study marks an alternative approach for discovering species and will promote effective research through correct specimen identification in closely related species groups.

Biologist maps the family tree of all known snake and lizard groups

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:22:22 EDT

Biologists have created the first large-scale evolutionary family tree for every snake and lizard around the globe.

Four new dinosaur species identified

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:21:21 EDT

Just when dinosaur researchers thought they had a thorough knowledge of ankylosaurs, a family of squat, armor-plated, plant-eaters, along comes a graduate student with some other ideas.

New fairyflies or mymarid wasp species named after university

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

An entomologist discovered a new wasp species in Russia and named it after the university, commonly abbreviated as UCR. A museum researcher had been sorting wasps from the Russian Far East, when he discovered several tiny female fairyflies, or mymarid wasps, 1.1 to 1.2 millimeters in body length. He named the species Gonatocerus ucri.

Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

In 2010, a study revealed that the main agent of malaria in humans, called Plasmodium falciparum, arose from the gorilla. Today, the vector which transmitted the parasite from apes to humans has just been identified. Scientists have determined which species of anopheles mosquitoes transfer the disease to apes. Among them is Anopheles moucheti, known for biting humans. Therefore, it appears to be the species which originally infected us through our 'cousins'. And it could do it again today.

'Dirty dozen' invasive species threaten UK

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

Parts of the UK are at greater risk of invasion by non-native aquatic species than previously thought, according to new research. The first to include human factors in models used to predict where invasive species will arrive and spread, the study shows the Thames, Anglian and Humber river basins are most vulnerable.

In the Northeast, forests with entirely native flora are not the norm

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Two-thirds of all forest inventory plots in the Northeast and Midwestern United States contain at least one non-native plant species, a new US Forest Service study found. The study across two dozen states from North Dakota to Maine can help land managers pinpoint areas on the landscape where invasive plants might take root.

The underground adventures of the Mediterranean frog Rana iberica

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Although many amphibians have been reported to live or spend part of their life underground, the Mediterranean frog Rana iberica, has never been reported dwelling in subterranean habitats until now. A new study marks the first record of all life stages of the species from a drainage gallery of Serra da Estrela Natural Park in Portugal.

Computer scientists suggest new spin on origins of evolvability: Competition to survive not necessary?

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

Scientists have long observed that species seem to have become increasingly capable of evolving in response to changes in the environment. But computer science researchers now say that the popular explanation of competition to survive in nature may not actually be necessary for evolvability to increase.

Peculiar life history of Middle American Stenamma ants

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:33:33 EDT

A recent revision of the Middle American clade of the ant genus Stenamma provides the description of 40 species, 33 of which are recognized as new to science. The extensive study provides the first thorough examination of the biology and taxonomy of these ants, focusing mainly on the worker caste and describing their peculiar nesting habits.

Tinkerbella nana: A new representative from the world of fairyflies

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:30:30 EDT

A new genus and species of fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana (Mymaridae), is described from Costa Rica. It is compared with the related species Kikiki huna Beardsley and Huber, which holds the record for the smallest winged insect. The new genus and species is named after the fairy Tinker Bell in the 1904 play "Peter Pan" by J. M. Barrie.

Flexible partnership allows lichens to occur in different habitats

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:51:51 EDT

A group of researchers has discovered the survival secrets of a lichen that occurs in polar regions of the northern and southern Hemisphere, but curiously also dwells in the warm climate of the Mediterranean. The lichen is able to form symbiotic associations with different algae which helps to colonize successfully areas with vastly different climates.

A beautiful species of tree iguana redescribed 179 years after its discovery

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:23:23 EDT

The tree iguana, Liolaemus nigromaculatus, was the second species of the genus Liolaemus to be described and the nominal species of the group nigromaculatus. However, since its description, no scientific study further clarified the identity of this engaging species or its type locality. A recent study by Chilean biologists clarifies the mysteries around this tree iguana, characterizing the species and its dwelling areas.

71 new parasitoid wasp species discovered from Southeast Asia

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:23:23 EDT

A recent study of the parasitoid wasp genus Oxyscelio found a total of 90 species present in Southeast Asia. This includes the astonishing number of 71 newly described wasps from across 16 different nations. The study greatly expands and contributes to the knowledge of this intriguing parasitoid wasp genus.

Long-lost giant fish from Amazon rediscovered

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:11:11 EDT

Scientists have put aside nearly a century and a half of conventional wisdom with the rediscovery of a species of giant Amazonian fish whose existence was first established in a rare 1829 monograph only to be lost to science some 40 years later.

Ant family tree constructed: Confirms date of evolutionary origin, underscores importance of Neotropics

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:12:12 EDT

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the higher species numbers in the tropics, but these hypotheses have never been tested for the ants, which are one of the most ecologically and numerically dominant groups of animals on the planet. New research is helping answer these questions.

Weeding out ineffective biocontrol agents

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

Biocontrol programs use an invasive plant's natural enemies (insects and pathogens) to reduce its population. Most biocontrol programs combine many different enemies. Some combinations of enemy species can actually end up competing or interfering with each other, instead of attacking the weed.

Catch me if you can: Two new species of moth from the Russian Far East

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:44:44 EDT

Showing a range of peculiar habits and difficult to be discovered and collected, Ypsolophid moths present an exciting catch for scientists. Russian entomologists have discovered and described two species of these engaging moths, coming from the southernmost areas of the Russian Far East.

Tiny colorful snails are in danger of extinction with vanishing limestone ecosystems

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:24:24 EDT

Three new species of brightly colored carnivorous snails have been described from north and northeastern Thailand, as a part of an extensive study of the terrestrial snails family Streptaxidae. The new species have been found in highly endangered limescale ecosystems, including quarried areas, thus showing extraordinary survival mechanisms and biodiversity persistence.

Chimpanzees use botanical skills to discover fruit

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:41:41 EDT

Fruit-eating animals are known to use their spatial memory to relocate fruit, yet, it is unclear how they manage to find fruit in the first place. Researchers have now investigated which strategies chimpanzees in the Taï National Park in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, use in order to find fruit in the rain forest. The result: Chimpanzees know that trees of certain species produce fruit simultaneously and use this botanical knowledge during their daily search for fruit.

Moa's ark: Why the female giant moa was about twice the size of the male

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:19:19 EDT

The evolutionary reason for the massive difference in size between male and female giant moa -- the extinct giant birds of New Zealand -- has been revealed for the first time.

Scientists seek sea urchin's secret to surviving ocean acidification

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:16:16 EDT

Ocean research reveals rapid evolutionary adaptations to a changing climate. Genetic variation is the key to this ability to deal with higher acidity.

Striped like a badger: New genus of bat identified in South Sudan

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:16:16 EDT

Researchers have identified a new genus of bat, Niumbaha, after discovering a rare specimen in South Sudan. The word means "rare" or "unusual" in Zande, the language of the Azande people in Western Equatoria State, where the bat was captured. The bat is just the fifth specimen of its kind ever collected, and the first in South Sudan, which gained its independence in 2011.

Der Steppenworm? Two new species differ from the elusive 'Mongolian Death Worm'

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:15:15 EDT

Scientists have discovered the first proper earthworms from the Outer Mongolian steppes. Although the two new species don't have the deadly biology of the legendary olgoi-khorkhoi, 'Mongolian Death Worm', they still intrigue with the abilities of their cousins to regenerate body parts when cut in two and survive within astonishing temperature ranges.

The ethics of resurrecting extinct species

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:59:59 EDT

At some point, scientists may be able to bring back extinct animals, and perhaps early humans, raising questions of ethics and environmental disruption.

Let me introduce myself -- leafcutter bee Megachile chomskyi from Texas

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:24:24 EDT

A new species of leafcutter bee, Megachile chomskyi, is described from Texas, United States. While many other genera within the family chew leaves or petals to build their nests, certain species within Megachile neatly cut them, hence their common name. The new species is named after Professor Noam Chomsky to commemorate his great contributions to the fields of linguistics, humanities and political science.

One extinct turtle less: Turtle species in the Seychelles never existed

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:29:29 EDT

The turtle species Pelusios seychellensis regarded hitherto as extinct never existed. Scientists discovered this based on genetic evidence.

Shark tooth weapons reveal missing shark species in Central Pacific islands

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:02:02 EDT

The Gilbert Island reefs in the Central Pacific were once home to two species of sharks not previously reported in historic records or contemporary studies. The species were discovered in a new analysis of weapons made from shark teeth and used by 19th century islanders.

Massive prehistoric bird extinction linked to human colonization

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:16:16 EDT

Research by Alison Boyer, a research assistant professor in ecology and evolutionary biology, and an international team studied the extinction rates of nonperching land birds in the Pacific Islands from 700 to 3,500 years ago. The team uncovered the magnitude of the extinctions and insight into how and why human impacts varied across the region.

Splendid Skadar Lake (Montenegro and Albania) surprises with new species of snails

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:51:51 EDT

The Skadar Lake system at the border of Montenegro and Albania is a well-known hotspot of freshwater biodiversity and harbors a highly diverse mollusc fauna. As in many of the Balkan lakes, the endemic species of Skadar Lake are still poorly known and continue to yield unexpected discoveries. A new freshwater snail species has recently been found.

Dusting for prints from a fossil fish to understand evolutionary change

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:41:41 EDT

In 370-million-year-old red sandstone deposits in a highway roadcut, scientists have discovered a new species of armored fish in north central Pennsylvania. Studying and describing this fish's anatomy, they took advantage of a technique that may look like it was stolen from crime scene investigators.

Why sticking around is sometimes the better choice for males

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 19:41:41 EDT

Researchers have been able to provide one answer as to why males in many species still provide paternal care, even when their offspring may not belong to them. The study finds that, when the conditions are right, sticking around despite being "cuckolded" actually turns out to be the most successful evolutionary strategy.

Uncovering Africa's oldest known penguins

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:16:16 EDT

Africa isn't the kind of place you might expect to find penguins. But one species lives in Africa today, and new fossils confirm that as many as four penguin species coexisted on the continent in the past. Exactly why African penguin diversity plummeted is still a mystery, but changing sea levels may be to blame. The fossils represent the oldest evidence of penguins in Africa, predating previously described fossils by 5 to 7 million years.

Lemur lookalikes are two new species, DNA says

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:15:15 EDT

Scientists have identified two new species of mouse lemur, the saucer-eyed, teacup-sized primates native to the African island of Madagascar.

Scientists use DNA to quickly unravel relationship between plants and insects

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:05:05 EDT

It can take years of direct observation for a researcher to fully understand the diets of a community of herbivorous insects in a tropical rain forest. Now, scientists are paving a fast track using the DNA found inside the insects' stomachs, potentially turning years of research into months. This method will help scientists understand the ecology and evolution of plant-herbivore interactions more efficiently.

What a bunch of dodos! Catastrophic mass extinction of birds in Pacific Islands followed arrival of first people

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:05:05 EDT

The demise of the dodo is one of the better known bird extinctions in the world, but its sad fate was anticipated a thousand times over by its Pacific cousins.

Invasive species: Understanding the threat before it's too late

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:53:53 EDT

Catching rides on cargo ships and fishing boats, many invasive species are now covering our shorelines and compromising the existence of our native marine life. Scientists have examined what factors allow some invasive species to survive in their new environments and others to fail.

Fossil bird study on extinction patterns could help today's conservation efforts

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:48:48 EDT

A new study of nearly 5,000 Haiti bird fossils shows contrary to a commonly held theory, human arrival 6,000 years ago didn't cause the island's birds to die simultaneously. Although many birds perished or became displaced during a mass extinction event following the first arrival of humans to the Caribbean islands, fossil evidence shows some species were more resilient than others. The research provides range and dispersal patterns from A.D. 600 to 1600 that may be used to create conservation plans for tropical mountainous regions, some of the most threatened habitats worldwide.

Genetic analysis calls for the protection of two highly endangered Portuguese fish species

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:10:10 EDT

A chromosome study of the endemic Portuguese fish Squalius aradensis and S. torgalensis draws attention to their current status of highly endangered species. Rapid habitat loss in combination with ongoing geographic confinement and a poor genetic bank of the two species requires the fast application of specific conservation measures to preserve the integrity of their genomes.

Peru surprises with two new amazing species of woodlizards

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:52:52 EDT

Two new beautifully coloured woodlizard species from the genus Enyalioides have been discovered during expeditions to the unexplored jungles of Cordillera Azul National Park in the Peruvian Andes. Woodlizards Enyalioides are represented by as little as ten currently recognized species that occur on both sides of the Andes.

'Kill Bill' character inspires the name of a new parasitoid wasp species

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:43:43 EDT

Three new parasitoid wasp species from the genus Cystomastacoides have been described from Thailand and Papua New Guinea. A character from Tarantino's "Kill Bill", a supernatural murder mystery novelist, and the fatal end of the wasp's host inspire the names of the new species, referring to their deadly biology. The paper offers a first record of the host and a considerable expansion of the genus range.

Nine new wasp species of the genus Paramblynotus described from Africa and Madagascar

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:28:28 EDT

A detailed revision of the Afrotropical liopterid wasp subfamily Mayrellinae reveals nine new species in the genus Paramblynotus coming from Africa and a first time record in Madagascar.

Tiny minotaurs and mini-Casanovas: Ancient pigmy moths reveal secrets of their diversity

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:28:28 EDT

Strange thickened antennae like bulls' horns and mustache-like scent scales are amongst the romantic armory of males of Australia's tiniest moths, as revealed in a new study of their diversity and evolution. The arid continent has provided an ideal home for the ancient pigmy moths, which have taken to Eucalyptus and related plants as hosts for their leaf-mining caterpillars, and diversified into at least 140 species.

Scientists produce cloned embryos of extinct frog

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:10:10 EDT

As part of a "Lazarus Project" to try to bring the Australian gastric-brooding frog back from extinction scientists have succeeded in producing early stage cloned embryos containing the DNA of the frog, which died out 30 year ago. Gastric-brooding frogs were unique in incubating their young in their stomachs.

Five-million-year-old saber-toothed cat in newly discovered genus discovered in Florida

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:09:09 EDT

A new genus and species of extinct saber-toothed cat has been discovered in Polk County, Florida. The 5-million-year-old fossils belong to the same lineage as the famous Smilodon fatalis from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, a large, carnivorous apex predator with elongated upper canine teeth. Previous research suggested the group of saber-toothed cats known as Smilodontini originated in the Old World and then migrated to North America, but the age of the new species indicates the group likely originated in North America.

New beautifully colored long-horned beetle from Yunnan, China

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:18:18 EDT

A new beautifully colored long-horned beetle species, Schwarzerium yunnanum, has been discovered in the Yunnan province, China. Additionally, seven already known representatives of the Cerambycidae family have been reported for the first time from the region.

CITES makes historic decision to protect sharks and rays

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:02:02 EDT

CITES plenary today accepted Committee recommendations to list five species of highly traded sharks under the CITES Appendices, along with those for the listing of both manta rays and one species of sawfish.

Bat disease: More accurate, sensitive DNA test allows early identification of fungus causing white nose syndrome

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:09:09 EDT

Scientists are identifying additional species of Geomyces and describing development of a highly sensitive DNA-based technique for early identification of Geomyces destructans on bats as well as in soils and on cave walls.

Whole genome sequencing of wild rice reveals the mechanisms underlying oryza genome evolution

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:25:25 EDT

Whole genome sequencing of wild rice reveals the mechanisms underlying oryza genome evolution.