The
ruby-eyed green pit viper. The Yin-Yang frog. Beezlebub's bat. The
walking catfish. These are just some of the 126 new species discovered
in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia in 2011, now compiled
into the WWF's 2012 report "Extra Terrestrial."
The ruby-eyed
green pit viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) was found in the forests near Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Named for its striking eyes, th e
snake is extremely rare and has only been spotted by a few people. It
appears to live in a very small habitat and to eat mainly frogs, but
it's currently not known if it's endangered or not.
The
Yin-Yang frog (Leptobrachium leucops) was also discovered in Vietnam.
Like the viper it is named for its eyes, which are unique to its genus.
It measures 3.8-4.5cm long and hides in shallow burrows under leaf
detritus.
Beezlebub's bat (Murina beelzebub) is a species of
tube-nosed bat. Its name reflects both its dark colours and its fierce
behaviour. It was found in the forests of southern Indochina and depends
on these vulnerable forests for its survival.
The walking
catfish (Clarias gracilentus) doesn't really walk - but it can push
itself up with its pectoral fins and push itself along the ground.
Because the stagnant pools it lives in sometimes dry up, it has evolved
the ability to move to a different home.
These species and
others in the WWF's report are all vulnerable to habitat destruction. In
just four decades, around 30% of the Greater Mekong's forests have
disappeared. These are just a few of the species described - the report
contains blind carp, miniature fish and a whole host of plants. Who
knows how many species are left to describe... or even if these species
will last the decade?
To read the report (or at least, flick through the pictures), click here: http://bit.ly/WxEMKH
Photo credits: Peter Paul van Dijk/Darwin Initiative (ruby-eyed green
pit viper), Jodi J. L. Rowley/Australian Museum/ WWF (Yin-yang frog),
Gabor Csorba/Hungarian Natural History Museum (Beezlebub's bat) and
N.V.Tu (walking catfish).
http://www.livescience.com/
http://worldwildlife.org/
http://www.timeslive.co.za/
The
ruby-eyed green pit viper. The Yin-Yang frog. Beezlebub's bat. The
walking catfish. These are just some of the 126 new species discovered
in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia in 2011, now compiled
into the WWF's 2012 report "Extra Terrestrial."
The ruby-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) was found in the forests near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Named for its striking eyes, th e snake is extremely rare and has only been spotted by a few people. It appears to live in a very small habitat and to eat mainly frogs, but it's currently not known if it's endangered or not.
The Yin-Yang frog (Leptobrachium leucops) was also discovered in Vietnam. Like the viper it is named for its eyes, which are unique to its genus. It measures 3.8-4.5cm long and hides in shallow burrows under leaf detritus.
Beezlebub's bat (Murina beelzebub) is a species of tube-nosed bat. Its name reflects both its dark colours and its fierce behaviour. It was found in the forests of southern Indochina and depends on these vulnerable forests for its survival.
The walking catfish (Clarias gracilentus) doesn't really walk - but it can push itself up with its pectoral fins and push itself along the ground. Because the stagnant pools it lives in sometimes dry up, it has evolved the ability to move to a different home.
These species and others in the WWF's report are all vulnerable to habitat destruction. In just four decades, around 30% of the Greater Mekong's forests have disappeared. These are just a few of the species described - the report contains blind carp, miniature fish and a whole host of plants. Who knows how many species are left to describe... or even if these species will last the decade?
To read the report (or at least, flick through the pictures), click here: http://bit.ly/WxEMKH
Photo credits: Peter Paul van Dijk/Darwin Initiative (ruby-eyed green pit viper), Jodi J. L. Rowley/Australian Museum/ WWF (Yin-yang frog), Gabor Csorba/Hungarian Natural History Museum (Beezlebub's bat) and N.V.Tu (walking catfish).
http://www.livescience.com/
http://worldwildlife.org/
http://www.timeslive.co.za/
The ruby-eyed green pit viper (Trimeresurus rubeus) was found in the forests near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Named for its striking eyes, th e snake is extremely rare and has only been spotted by a few people. It appears to live in a very small habitat and to eat mainly frogs, but it's currently not known if it's endangered or not.
The Yin-Yang frog (Leptobrachium leucops) was also discovered in Vietnam. Like the viper it is named for its eyes, which are unique to its genus. It measures 3.8-4.5cm long and hides in shallow burrows under leaf detritus.
Beezlebub's bat (Murina beelzebub) is a species of tube-nosed bat. Its name reflects both its dark colours and its fierce behaviour. It was found in the forests of southern Indochina and depends on these vulnerable forests for its survival.
The walking catfish (Clarias gracilentus) doesn't really walk - but it can push itself up with its pectoral fins and push itself along the ground. Because the stagnant pools it lives in sometimes dry up, it has evolved the ability to move to a different home.
These species and others in the WWF's report are all vulnerable to habitat destruction. In just four decades, around 30% of the Greater Mekong's forests have disappeared. These are just a few of the species described - the report contains blind carp, miniature fish and a whole host of plants. Who knows how many species are left to describe... or even if these species will last the decade?
To read the report (or at least, flick through the pictures), click here: http://bit.ly/WxEMKH
Photo credits: Peter Paul van Dijk/Darwin Initiative (ruby-eyed green pit viper), Jodi J. L. Rowley/Australian Museum/ WWF (Yin-yang frog), Gabor Csorba/Hungarian Natural History Museum (Beezlebub's bat) and N.V.Tu (walking catfish).
http://www.livescience.com/
http://worldwildlife.org/
http://www.timeslive.co.za/
No comments:
Post a Comment