New Species Found in 2014 A new species of lizard has been described from the cloud forests of Perus Manu National Park. Potamites erythrocularis, an aquatic lizard that lives in cold streams at an elevation of of 900-2000 meters, was discovered during herpetological studies in the Kosñipata Valley by Alessandro Catenazzi and German Chavez. It differs from other Potamites by its scale pattern. Males are distinguished by a red-orange patch which nearly encircles the eye. The lizard was first revealed to the public in January in a paper documenting Manus world-record level of reptile and amphibian biodiversity, but hadnt yet been formally described. That study documented 155 amphibian and 132 reptile species, 16 more than the previous record holder: Ecuadors Yasuní National Park. The cold stream-dwelling behavior of Potamites is extremely unusual among lizards. The genus is widely distributed in cloud forests around tropical South America. Photo 1 Researchers have discovered a new species of river dolphin from the Amazon region. Writing in the journal Plos One, scientists led by Tomas Hrbek of Brazils Federal University of Amazonas formally describe Inia araguaiaensis, a freshwater dolphin that inhabits the Araguaia River Basin. It is the first true river dolphin discovered since 1918. The discovery came after Hrbek and colleagues noticed that a group of river dolphins in the Araguaia was isolated from other Amazon dolphins by a series of rapids. Conducting genetic analysis, the researchers found the Araguaian boto (Inia araguaiaensis) to be distinct enough from other Amazon dolphins to be classified as a different species. The scientists estimate that the dolphin species diverged some two million years ago, corresponding to the separation of the Araguaia-Tocantins basin from the Amazon basin. The differences between the Araguaian boto and their closest relatives, Inia geoffrensis and Inia boliviensis, extend beyond genetics. The Araguaian boto is smaller, has a different number of teeth, and has a wider skull. Photo 2 Scientists have discovered 14 new species of frogs in the mountainous tropical forests of India’s Western Ghats, all of which are described in a recent study published in the Ceylon Journal of Science. The new species are all from a single genus, and are collectively referred to as “dancing frogs” due to the unusual courtship behavior of the males. The Western Ghats (WG) is a strip of mountains that runs parallel to the west coast of the southern half of the subcontinent. Renowned as one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, the lush forests of the WG are home to a vast array of species, including 139 mammal and 508 bird species, many of which are endemic and threatened by human encroachment. Photo 3
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 01:35:54 +0000