Buzz
This year’s Top 10 New Species list includes an astonishing spider that performs cartwheeling stunts when threatened, a resourceful wasp that uses dead ants to protect its territory, and a dinosaur resembling an oversized chicken. Compiled annually by the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, this list showcases the most captivating species from the nearly 18,000 newly discovered species in the past year. And this year’s picks are nothing short of intriguing.
1. The Gigantic Chicken
Mark A. Klingler, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Scientific name: Anzu wyliei
Often referred to as the “chicken from hell,” this ancient creature was a bizarre fusion of a bird and a reptile. It featured soft feathers and a beak similar to that of a parrot, yet it weighed an astonishing 600 pounds. Three incomplete skeletons of this 5-foot-tall, 10-foot-long beast were unearthed last year in North and South Dakota.
2. The Stunning Parasite
P.B. Pelser & J.F. Barcelona
Scientific name: Balanophora coralliformis
This plant may appear to belong to an underwater world, blending in with a colorful coral reef, but in reality, it thrives on the moss-covered slopes of a mountain in the Philippines. It’s also a parasite, relying on other plants for nourishment instead of photosynthesizing its own energy. Now considered endangered, fewer than 50 specimens of this plant have been discovered in an unprotected area.
3. The Gymnastic Spider
Prof. Dr. Ingo Rechenberg, Technical University Berlin
Scientific name: Cebrennus rechenbergi
When danger looms, this spider first attempts to appear intimidating. If it still feels threatened, this Moroccan arachnid doesn’t just flee — it cartwheels down sand dunes. This acrobatic escape is about twice as fast as its normal running speed, and the spider can tumble across both slopes and flat ground in its sandy environment.
4. The Wasp Master of Deception
Michael Staab
Scientific name: Deuteragenia ossarium
This wasp mother has a sinister side. Native to China, she constructs a nest with tiny compartments, each housing an egg and a paralyzed spider for nourishment. However, when she reaches the final compartment, her behavior takes an unusual turn: She fills it with the bodies of dead ants, whose scent masks the odor of her eggs. This strategy helps protect her eggs from parasites, either by hiding their scent or by deterring parasites from disturbing the ants.
5. The Frog That Does Things Its Own Way
Jimmy A. McGuire
Scientific name: Limnonectes larvaepartus
This newly discovered species of fanged frog startled a researcher when he held one and it gave birth to live tadpoles right in his hand. Unlike most frogs that lay eggs, this species, found in Indonesia, skips the egg-laying phase and directly produces tadpoles. It’s the only species out of the 6,455 frog species globally that reproduces in this way (though a few other frogs give birth to froglets, miniature adult frogs).
6. The Creature That Always Carries a Large Stick
Jonathan Brecko
Scientific name: Phryganistria tamdaoensis
Part of a family of enormous stick insects, this recent addition reaches an impressive height of 9 inches. While these insects are large, they excel at blending into their surroundings. Like other giant stick insects, P. tamdaoensis is a master of camouflage. However, it still falls short of the world record for the largest stick insect, the “megastick,” which grows to an astounding 14 inches in length.
7. The Fashionable Slug
Robert Bolland
Scientific name: Phyllodesmium acanthorhinum
This newly discovered sea slug species is stunningly vibrant, adorned with a zigzag pattern that adds a burst of color to the waters around the Japanese islands where it resides. This gastropod was an exciting discovery for scientists, providing valuable insights into the connections between it and other similar sea slug species.
8. The Joyous Discovery
A. Espejo
Scientific name: Tillandsia religiosa
In Mexico, villagers create altar scenes known as nacimientos to celebrate Christmas each year, often featuring a vibrant, spiky plant in their displays. It turns out that the plant used in these festive decorations is a previously unknown species to science. T. religiosa thrives on cliffs and vertical rock faces in Mexico, blooming from December to March.
9. The Masterpiece-Making Pufferfish
Yoji Okata
Scientific name: Torquigener albomaculosus
For the last 20 years, stunning, intricate circles with geometric patterns have been appearing on the seafloor off the coast of Japan’s Amami-Oshima Island, reminiscent of the designs in the movie Signs. Scientists have now cracked the mystery: These circles are crafted by a newly identified pufferfish. The male pufferfish move their bodies through the sand to form these nests, hoping to catch the attention of female pufferfish. The ridges in the sand reduce the ocean current in the center of the circle, offering some shelter for any eggs that may be laid there.
10. The Taxonomy Enigma
Jørgen Olesen
Scientific name: Dendrogramma enigmatica
This peculiar animal discovered near Australia earned its name due to its baffling nature, as scientists have yet to determine the phylum to which this multicellular creature belongs. It might share characteristics with jellyfish and sea anemones, or it could be a living fossil, or perhaps it belongs to a completely unknown phylum yet to be identified.
