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  PlanetSave 15 Dec 05
What? Me Worry?
Contributed by Howard Clark

Over the past few years several new species of animals have been discovered--or species thought to be extinct have been rediscovered. This is quite refreshing in that the environment is in peril, and habitat loss due to human development is increasing at a dramatic rate. Here a some of the highlights of these discoveries:

A new Rodent...

During biodiversity surveys in Khammouan Province, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, specimens of an unknown species of hystricognathous rodent were discovered in local markets being sold for food; local hunters explaining that these rock rats were trapped in the nearby limestone karst (Systematics and Biodiversity 2:419-454).

These specimens have a unique combination of external and craniodental features and are considered members of a new family, genus and species, using comparative morphological and molecular data. The disjunct distribution of hystricognaths is recognized as problematic, with most families occurring in the main distributional area of South America, several others in Africa and only one family distributed in Africa and Asia.

The presence of an additional hystricognath family in Southeast Asia poses interesting questions and consideration is given to the way in which this new taxon fits into the theories of the biogeographical and evolutionary history of other hystricognaths.

The new species has been named Laonastes aenigmamus, and is placed in its own family Laonastidae. Morphological phylogenetic analysis places Laonastes basal to other hystricognaths except Pedetes and Ctenodactylidae, while molecular analysis nests it among other (mostly African) Old World hystricognaths, such as Petromus, Thryonomys, Heterocephalus and Hystrix. Hystricidae are the only other hystricognath family found in Asia.

The Salamander world comes Alive!

To wit: Portland, Oregon--A new species of salamander has been identified in the Siskiyou Mountains of southern Oregon and Northern California, demonstrating the biological richness of the region, researchers say.

The Scott Bar salamander, classified as Plethodon asupak, had been considered to be a member of the Siskiyou Mountains salamander species, or Plethodon stormi, until genetic analysis showed a distinct evolutionary line, said Joseph Vaile of the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center in Ashland.

"Everyone talks about how biologically rich the tropics are, but we are still discovering species right here in the Klamath-Siskiyou," Vaile said.

The research leading to the identification of the new species was funded by the Forest Service. The results will be published in the June edition of the quarterly journal Herpetologica. (Herpetologica 61:158-177)

Discovery of the first Asian plethodontid salamander:

Nearly 70% of the 535 species of salamanders in the world are members of a single family, the Plethodontidae, or lungless salamanders (Nature 435:87-90, 5 May 2005). The center of diversity for this clade is North and Middle America, where the vast majority (99%) of species are found.

The first Asian plethodontid salamander was discovered in the montane woodlands in southwestern Korea. The new species superficially resembles members of North American genera, in particular the morphologically conservative genus Plethodon. However, phylogenetic analyses of nuclear encoded genes show the new taxon to be widely divergent from Plethodon.

The new salamander differs osteologically from putative relatives, especially with respect to the tongue (attached protrusible) and the derived tarsus. The species is placed in a new genus on the basis of the morphological and molecular data. The distribution of the new salamander adds to the enigma of Old World plethodontids, which are otherwise restricted to the western Mediterranean region, suggesting a more extensive past distribution of the family.

A new primate discovered--Amazing!

Scientists have discovered a new monkey species in the mountains of East Africa. The new primate, known as the highland mangabey (Lophocebus kipunji), was identified by two independent research teams working in separate locations in southern Tanzania (Science, Vol 308, Issue 5725, 1161-1164, 20 May 2005).

Abstract from the paper in Science: A distinct species of mangabey was independently found at two sites 370 kilometers apart in southern Tanzania (Mount Rungwe and Livingstone in the Southern Highlands and Ndundulu in the Udzungwa Mountains). This new species is described here and given the name "highland mangabey" Lophocebus kipunji sp. nov. We place this monkey in Lophocebus, because it possesses noncontrasting black eyelids and is arboreal. L. kipunji is distinguished from other mangabeys by the color of its pelage; long, upright crest; off-white tail and ventrum; and loud call. This find has implications for primate evolution, African biogeography, and forest conservation.

Fewer than a thousand highland mangabeys exist, researchers estimate. They say they expect that a formal census of the primate's population will land the species on the World Conservation Union's "critically endangered" list. Except for their furry off-white bellies and tails, highland mangabeys are covered in thick brown fur. The thick coats are an adaptation to the primate's mountain habitat, where temperatures can drop below freezing, researchers say. The species lives at elevations up to 8,000 feet. The monkeys have black eyelids, faces, hands, and feet. Researchers have yet to directly measure a highland mangabey. But scientists say the primates are about 3 feet tall and sport tails of similar length.

What was thought to be extinct--really isn't!

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis), long suspected to be extinct, has been rediscovered in the "Big Woods" region of eastern Arkansas.

Visual encounters during 2004 and 2005, and analysis of a video clip from April 2004, confirm the existence of at least one male. Acoustic signatures consistent with Campephilus display-drums also have been heard from the region.

Extensive efforts to locate birds away from the primary site remain unsuccessful, but potential habitat for a thinly distributed source population is vast (over 220,000 ha). A paper announcing the discovery was published in www.sciencexpress.org on 28 April 2005.

New species of frog discovered - Reported on 16 October 2003

A new species of frog has been discovered in southen India. It is related to frogs that hopped around when dinosaurs roamed the earth some 65 - 80 million years ago. The burrowing frog has been described as looking like a fat purple plum and scientists have called it Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis describing the discovery as a "once in a century find" (Nature 425:711-714).

Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis forms its own family, marking the first discovery of a new frog family since 1926. Common names for this species are Purple Frog or Pignose Frog. The scientific name derives from the Sanskrit word nasika (nose) referring to the pointed snout, batrachus Greek for frog, and Sahyadri as the local name of the mountain range where it was found - these hills in the state of Maharashtra are commonly known as the Western Ghats. The frog spends most of the year underground, and only surfaces for about two weeks during the monsoon for mating. This seclusive lifestyle made it escape biologists until now. The frog is dark purple in color, seven centimeters in length, and has a small head and a pointy snout.

What do these discoveries mean?

Is it surprising that new species are being discovered? Over the past decade, environmentalists have told us that species are going extinct everyday--some remaining undiscovered.

This may be true, but the one thing the public is not being told is the days of explorers going out to new lands and returning with a plethora of new wildlife findings is a thing of the past. The lack of funding is the main culprit: there just isn't the financial backing for scientists to head out to new places and describe species.

In fact, the whole discipline of taxonomy is not attracting researchers. Few positions at universities exist, and industry provides better jobs for research graduates. On the other hand, as each and every remaining square inch of the planet is developed by human interests, new species will reluctantly be unearthed--most of them, at the time of discovery --on the verge of extinction, like the monkey mentioned above.

With these discoveries--and especially with the re-discovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, those of more conservative persuasion will exclaim, "What? Me Worry? Look here--the tree huggers are trying to tell us that biodiversity is in jeopardy due to human development of the environment--but new species are being discovered and species once thought extinct are doing just fine! Saving the environment is a bunch of hogwash after all!?"

What are we to do? For one thing, saving the remaining natural open space should be a priority. Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) should take prioirty for all US States, Counties, and cities. We need to delineate where we can build urban areas, and where humans need to stay out.

All life on earth is worth enjoying--even if it means not building homes or driving your SUV. We share this planet with billions of other creatures: it's part of reality, and it's the only planet we have.
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