Buzz
While many animal species are nearing extinction, the discovery and naming of hundreds of new species continues. These newly found creatures showcase the incredible and untapped biodiversity of our planet. With an estimated 10 million species still awaiting discovery, it is crucial now more than ever to preserve our natural legacy.
10. The Newest Lemur
In one of the most charming discoveries in recent years, a delightful new species of reddish-brown dwarf lemur has been found in Madagascar’s Montagne d’Ambre National Park. Named Andy Sabin’s dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus andysabini) after philanthropist Andy Sabin, these tiny lemurs are roughly the size of a squirrel and boast a long tail measuring about 26–27 centimeters (10 inches).
The tiny primates were first observed in 2005, but it wasn't until 2015, following genetic analysis, that they were officially recognized as a completely new species. Remarkably, this makes them the 23rd lemur species discovered on Madagascar by scientists from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium since 1999. Unfortunately, over 90 percent of all lemur species face extinction, and this new discovery is likely no exception, as its habitat is threatened by illegal slash-and-burn agriculture and the expansion of the nearby town of Joffreville.
9. The Snub-Nosed Sneezer
Another adorable new discovery is Snubby, the sneezing snub-nosed monkey from northern Myanmar. Officially named Rhinopithecus strykeri, the monkey is one of 211 newly identified species in the Eastern Himalayas. Local hunters informed researchers about the species in 2010, prompting a team from Fauna & Flora International (FFI) to track down and document an example.
According to the FFI report: “The monkeys have almost entirely black fur with white on their ear tufts, chin beard, and perineal area. They also possess a relatively long tail, about 140 percent of their body length.” Their most striking characteristic is their nearly flat, upturned nose. Locals claim this feature makes them easy to find when it rains, as the water drips directly into their nose, causing them to sneeze. To avoid this, the monkeys are said to sit with their heads tucked between their knees during rainstorms.
The estimated population of Rhinopithecus strykeri is believed to be around 260–330 individuals. Due to habitat destruction from logging and hunting, these snub-nosed monkeys have been officially added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List as critically endangered species.
8. A Massive Tortoise Hiding in Plain Sight
It might seem impossible for a huge, slow-moving tortoise to go unnoticed, but a recently discovered species on the Galapagos Islands managed to elude detection for over a century by closely resembling another large, sluggish tortoise species inhabiting the same island.
For decades, the giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island were thought to be a single species: Chelonoidis porteri. However, researcher Tom Fritts noticed subtle differences between two distinct groups, prompting Yale evolutionary biologist Adalgisa Caccone to investigate. In 2015, Caccone’s team confirmed that the tortoises from the eastern side of the island were genetically different from those in the west. In fact, both groups shared a closer genetic connection with tortoises from other islands than with each other.
This discovery presented a dilemma—determining which tortoise was the true Chelonoidis porteri and which was the new species. Complicating matters, the original specimen of Chelonoidis porteri was found in a museum and revealed to be an extraordinary hybrid of both groups. After DNA analysis, experts concluded that the tortoises from the west side were more closely linked to the original species, and the east side tortoises were renamed Chelonoidis donfaustoi in honor of the legendary retiring park ranger Fausto Llerena Sanchez.
7. A Slithering Snakehead Fish
Not all new species from the Eastern Himalayas are as charming as the sneezing monkey. Channa andrao, a species of snakehead fish, features sharp teeth, a thirst for blood, and the disturbing ability to slither across land for up to 500 meters (1,600 feet).
Known as “Fishzilla” by National Geographic, this vivid blue terror was discovered in the Lefraguri swamp of West Bengal’s Himalayan region in 2013. Though related to other snakehead fish, it was easily distinguished as a new species due to its striking color pattern and absence of pelvic fins. It is thought to be a vicious ambush predator, lurking at the swamp's bottom before springing up to capture passing prey.
Interestingly, Channa andrao and other snakehead species are considered “primitive” fish and rely solely on air for breathing. If they cannot surface for air, they risk oxygen deprivation and death. On the plus side, they can survive on land for up to four days, which allows them to slither from one pond to another like a clumsy snake.
Disturbingly, an official World Wildlife Federation report on the species found in the Eastern Himalayas suggests that Channa andrao can grow as long as 1.2 meters (4 feet). Thankfully, this is likely a typo, and the actual length is only around 12 centimeters (4.8 inches), making Fishzilla slightly less terrifying.
6. The Soul-Sucking Dementor Wasp
If Fishzilla creeped you out, you may want to skip this next discovery. A new species of wasp found in Southeast Asia’s Mekong Delta is so spine-chilling that it has been named Ampulex dementor, after the soul-sucking creatures from Harry Potter.
To be fair, the name was chosen by visitors to Berlin’s natural history museum, so it might be a bit over the top. But the wasp is still pretty unsettling. Growing up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length, this red-and-black wasp hunts cockroaches, turning them into mindless “zombies” for its young to feed on.
After landing on its cockroach prey, Ampulex dementor drives its stinger into the insect’s abdomen, injecting venom that paralyzes its ability to process the neurotransmitter octopamine. This renders the cockroach unable to control its movements and it obediently follows its captor. The wasp then uses its antennae to steer the cockroach to a secure location where it will be consumed.
Unfortunately, the Mekong Delta is one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on the planet, and conservationists warn that we may not have much time left to save the increasingly endangered dementors.
5. The Ninja Lanternshark
The ninja lanternshark may sound like a name picked by an eight-year-old, but in reality, it was suggested by two eight-year-olds. When researcher Vicky Vasquez was describing this newly discovered shark to her cousins, they came up with the name “Super Ninja Shark.” Vasquez later tweaked the name to get people more excited about the shark. Judging by the fact that you’re reading this, it seems her plan succeeded.
And this shark certainly deserves its cool moniker. Discovered by researchers from the Ocean Science Foundation, the ninja lanternshark grows to about 0.5 meters (18 inches) long and is the first lanternshark species found off the Pacific coast of Central America. Like other lanternsharks, this one can glow in the dark due to small cup-shaped organs called photophores. However, while other lanternsharks have photophores across their bellies, this species has fewer photophores concentrated on its head and doesn’t glow as brightly as others. Its sleek form and stealthy movements made the researchers (and their young cousins) think of “the typical outfit and stealthy behavior of a Japanese ninja.”
4. A Brand New (Ancient) Salamander
“This new amphibian looks like it stepped out of a B-grade monster movie. It was as long as a small car and sported hundreds of sharp teeth in its big, flat head, which oddly resembled a toilet seat.” With these stirring words, Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh recently announced the discovery of a fossilized species of salamander-like amphibians that roamed Earth 200 million years ago, preying on early dinosaurs.
Named Metoposaurus algarvensis after being discovered in Portugal’s Algarve region, this ancient amphibian lived in lakes and rivers during the Late Triassic period. While related to modern salamanders, Metoposaurus algarvensis was more like a crocodile, mainly feeding on fish but likely eager to snap up any dinosaur that wandered too close to the swampy waters it inhabited.
According to Brusatte, gigantic amphibians like the saurian-hunting super salamander were prevalent during that era, but “they met their end in a mass extinction about 201 million years ago, when the continents split apart. And with a few exceptions, the more docile amphibians came to dominate the Earth.”
3. A New Species Of Human
Today, Homo sapiens are the only remaining species of human, but that wasn’t always the case. Scientists recently announced the discovery of a new species of early hominid. Recreational cavers Steven Tucker and Rick Hunter were exploring the Rising Star cave system in South Africa when they squeezed into a narrow fissure in the cave floor. This led them to a small chamber that held 15 partial skeletons of both males and females, of various ages, representing one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in recent history. Homo naledi was formally described by a team of international scientists in September 2015.
Scientists believe that Homo naledi shared many features with modern humans, such as a more advanced skull shape, small teeth, long legs, and almost entirely modern feet. However, the species also had a very small brain (similar in size to a gorilla’s), apelike shoulders, and primitive fingers. Experts speculate that Homo naledi might represent the earliest known example of the genus Homo, potentially living in Africa up to three million years ago.
The discovery was even more extraordinary because the skeletons were found clustered deep inside the cave system, suggesting that Homo naledi may have used the remote cave as a burial chamber, possibly over many generations. Previously, such ritualistic behavior, like the ceremonial disposal of the dead, had only been linked to humans from the last 200,000 years.
Perhaps the most captivating aspect of the find is how it almost didn't happen. As National Geographic put it: “If a completely new species of hominin was discovered only because two cavers were thin enough to squeeze through a crack in a well-explored South African cave, we truly have no idea what else could be waiting to be found.”
2. The First Frog To Give Birth To Tadpoles
During the summer of 2014, herpetologist Jim McGuire was exploring the Indonesian island of Sulawesi when he came across a peculiar fanged frog. As soon as he picked it up, the frog “squirted tadpoles all over my hand.” Naturally, McGuire was thrilled, as no other frog known to science gives birth to live tadpoles, making this amphibian a unique new species.
Named Limnonectes larvaepartus (“marsh swimmer that gives birth to larvae”), this frog gives birth to tadpoles directly into water-filled pools deep in the rainforest. Unlike most frog species, where the female lays eggs and the male fertilizes them, this species gives birth to tadpoles. While some frogs give birth to tiny froglets that have already undergone a modified tadpole stage inside an egg capsule within the female, Limnonectes larvaepartus is the only frog known to deliver actual tadpoles.
In 2015, Limnonectes larvaepartus was named one of the “Top 10 New Species” discovered in 2014 by the International Institute for Species Exploration.
1. The Roundworm Of Many Faces
In 2016, scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology (MPI) announced the discovery of a new species of roundworm on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. In an unexpected twist, the researchers were actually excited that they hadn’t found any other new species along with it. Initially, they thought they had uncovered five different species of roundworm, only to find out through genetic sequencing that they had actually discovered one species with five different faces.
The roundworms possessed five unique mouth shapes. Since the mouth is one of the few distinguishing traits of roundworms, this gave them five distinct “faces.” However, after sequencing the worms' genes, the researchers discovered that the species can develop five different types of mouths depending on the ecological niche they inhabit within the local fig ecosystem. Some mouths are better suited to consuming yeast, while others are adapted to feed on bacteria.
Named Pristionchus borbonicus, these roundworms exemplify extreme evolutionary divergence within a single species. Although the researchers are still unsure how this diversification occurred or how these worms contribute to the fig ecosystem, it is known that they travel from fig to fig with the help of local fig wasps. As a result, MPI is planning a follow-up expedition to Reunion Island.
