New Species

Scientists have discovered Tudors’s Coffee-Snake, a new species endemic to Ecuador’s cloud forests. Found by biologist Alejandro Arteaga, it resides in coffee plantations at high elevations. This discovery highlights the need for conservation in cloud forests and surrounding habitats, with the species naming aiding in such efforts. Credit: Alejandro ArteagaResearchers from Khamai Foundation and Liberty University have identified a new species of coffee snake, endemic to the cloud forests in northwestern Ecuador.Biologist…

One of two new species of the mysterious Urodacus genus of burrowing scorpions – with many more museum specimens still to be described. Credit: B Buzatto (Flinders University)New research has uncovered unexpected characteristics in two newly identified species of burrowing scorpions, including a very strangely shaped ‘tail tip’ and some ‘sexy’ anatomy features.Terrestrial biologists from South Australia’s Flinders University, West Australian universities, and the Museum of WA have taken a closer look at two new species of…

Birdlike dinosaur Eoneophron infernalis was about the size of an adult human. Credit: Zubin Erik DuttaNew findings, including the discovery of Eoneophron infernalis, suggest that dinosaurs, particularly caenagnathids, were not declining in diversity before the asteroid impact, contradicting earlier theories of their vulnerability.Were dinosaurs already on their way out when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago, ending the Cretaceous, the geologic period that started about 145 million years ago? It’s a question that…

A new study has identified the smallest species of fanged frogs in Southeast Asia, with unique characteristics such as terrestrial egg-laying and male egg guarding. This discovery in Sulawesi, Indonesia, contributes to our understanding of amphibian diversity and underscores the necessity of conserving these unique ecosystems. Above is a photo of the new species of fanged frog, Limnonectes phyllofolia. Credit: Sean ReillyThe males of these tiny frogs guard their eggs, which are laid on leaves.Generally, frogs’ teeth…

The Ayeyarwady pit viper, a new species discovered in Myanmar by Dr. Chan Kin Onn, illustrates the complexities of species differentiation in pit vipers. This species, which displays traits of both the redtail and mangrove pit vipers, was initially thought to be a hybrid but was confirmed as distinct through genomic analysis. Credit: Wolfgang WüsterFinding and describing new species can be a tricky endeavor. Scientists typically look for distinctive characters that can differentiate one species from another. However,…

Nannowithius wahrmani phoretic on a Birulatus israelensis. Credit: S. AharonRecent research conducted by Yoram Zvik, Dr. Sharon Warburg, and Dr. Efrat Gavish-Regev at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s National Natural History Collections, has documented the first-ever observation of phoresy between a myrmecophile pseudoscorpion and a myrmecophile scorpion.Phoresy, a well-established phenomenon among pseudoscorpions, involves their attachment to hosts for dispersal into new environments. Documented instances of phoresy…

Reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis. Credit: Sergei Krasinski, editedNewly discovered Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis, potentially T. rex’s closest relative, lived 71-73 million years ago in southern Laramidia, indicating the early evolution of giant tyrannosaurs.A new species of tyrannosaur from southern North America that may the closest known relative of Tyrannosaurus rex is described in a study published in Scientific Reports.Sebastian Dalman and colleagues identified the new species — which they have named…

John Slapcinsky, manager of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s invertebrate zoology collection, named nine new species of carnivorous land snails found in Papua New Guinea. Credit: Florida Museum photo by Jeff GageNine recently discovered species of meat-eating land snails have been identified in the secluded forests of Papua New Guinea, known for its rich variety of species. A recent research paper details these tiny creatures, each so small that all nine could collectively rest on a U.S. nickel. These snails offer…

A new mesophilic, sulfur-oxidizing bacterial species, Hydrogenimonas cancrithermarum, was discovered at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent, enhancing our understanding of bacterial evolution and diversity. This breakthrough demonstrates the importance of microbial cultivation in complementing genomic studies, offering new insights into the adaptation and evolution of deep-sea bacteria. The image above depicts the deep-sea hydrothermal vent site known as ‘Crab Spa’ on the East Pacific Rise. Credit: Photo courtesy of Stefan…

Reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis. Credit: Sergei Krasinski, editedRestudy of fossils collected in New Mexico digs up key clues about T. rex’s origins in North America.A new study published in Scientific Reports reshapes our understanding of how the most famous dinosaur to ever walk the earth – Tyrannosaurus rex – first arrived in North America by introducing its earliest known relative on the continent.The study identifies a newly discovered subspecies of tyrannosaur known as Tyrannosaurus mcraeensis. The newly…