Fears over the future of North Sea dolphins despite numbers staying stable

THE population of bottlenose dolphins in the North Sea is still listed as vulnerable, according to conservationists. The sea off Scotland's east coast is home to about 200 bottlenose dolphins which draw around £4 million for the local tourist-driven economy. They are the world's most northerly bottlenose dolphins and the European Union (EU) has designated the Moray Firth as a special area of conservation (SAC) to protect the species. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) must report on their condition every six years and an interim report ahead of the next full publication in 2018 indicates that the population has remained stable over the last quarter of a century. Photographs and markings on the dolphins' fins indicate 102 individuals used the SAC in summer 2011, rising to 112 in 2012 and falling to 94 in 2013. Long-term trends since 1990 indicate the numbers appear to be stable but the population is still considered to be vulnerable, SNH said. Morven Carruthers, from SNH's marine team, said: "Dolphins in the Moray Firth SAC have been the focus of intense research for many years now and over that time the numbers using the SAC appear to have remained stable. This is a tribute to the people, organisations and relevant authorities around the Moray Firth."

Are seals mutilating and killing porpoises? Scientists investigate

A gruesome series of killings has left porpoises stranded on the shores along the North Sea, and scientists now think they have a culprit: gray seals. Turns out those adorable gray seals aren’t so cuddly after all. The findings, described in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, reveal a disturbing trend that could potentially alter the ecology of harbor porpoises. Related story: Bats use sonar jamming to steal food Related story: Bats use sonar jamming to steal food Amina Khan Harbor porpoises, formally known as Phocoena phocoena, have been washing up along the coasts of the southern North Sea in Europe, with deadly wounds whose origins were a mystery. Were the-READ MORE-http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-seals-mutilating-killing-porpoises-study-20141128-story.html-

RETURN OF THE MAMMOTH?

Yet again the persuit of cloning a Mammoth appears on t.v.This time via a documentary called WOOLLY MAMMOTH ON C4 OR 4od.This will give you an insight on how cloning techniques could see  the return of the MAMMOTH.Made possible via a corpse of this creature called BUTTERCUP,a very well preserved MAMMOTH found in SEBERIA,RUSSIA,Last year.O NE OF DOING THIS IS TO 1-REMOVE NUCLEUS FROM EGG OF A FEMALE ASIAN ELEPHANT.2 INSERT A SKIN CELL FROM A MAMMOTH INTO EGG.3 IMPLANT THE EMBRYO INTO A ASIAN ELEPHANT  THEN WAIT 2 YEARS.Dont hold out much hope as more science fiction then fact.

Brown bears return to Chernobyl after a century away

Scientists have captured what is believed to be the first photographic evidence of brown bears within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ). Camera traps, used by a project assessing radioactive exposure impacts on wildlife, recorded the images. Brown bears had not been seen in the area for more than a century, although there had been signs of their presence. The exclusion zone was set up after an explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine in April 1986. "Our Ukrainian colleague, Sergey Gashchak, had several of his camera traps running in one of our central areas over the past few months in order to start to get a feel for what (wildlife) was there," explained project leader Mike Wood from the University of Salford. He told BBC News that data retrieved from one of the cameras in October contained images of a brown bear. "There have been suggestions that they have existed there previously but, as far as we know, no-one has got photographic evidence of one being present on the Ukrainian side of the exclusion zone," Dr Wood said. "We are basically working on the assumption that as you move people out of the equation and human pressure and disturbance is removed, then any animals that have a corridor into the exclusion zone find they are suddenly away from the pressures and dangers presented by people." Following the April 1986 explosion - described as the world's worst nuclear power plant accident - more than 110,000 were moved from their homes as a 30km-radius exclusion zone was established around the damaged nuclear reactor. In the subsequent years, the area has provided a valuable source of data for scientific research into the impact of radioactive contamination-READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30197341

FIVE new-species-found-under-our-noses

If you want to discover a new species, try going for a walk. You might well spot something. While around 1.2 million species of living organisms have been identified and described, there are probably far more waiting to be found. One recent study estimated there are another 6.8 million animals, 567,000 fungi and 90,000 plants awaiting discovery. New species are being found at a rate of 15,000 to 20,000 per year. While most are found in remote environments like rainforests, caves and the ocean depths, other discoveries happen much closer to home. Here are five examples of new animals, plants and fungi found living under our noses.-READ MORE-http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141124-new-species-found-under-our-noses

ascetoaxinus quatsinoensis-New clam species found off of B.C.'s coast

VICTORIA -- Ten years after an unusually scalloped clam was dragged up from the ocean floor off northern Vancouver Island, the tiny mollusk is making waves in the research world.

Melissa Frey, curator of invertebrates at the Royal BC Museum, was cataloguing a number of species about four years ago when she noticed something different about the tiny clam.

"I looked at the unusual scalloping and I thought this was definitely special," she said in an interview Wednesday.

"It's unusual enough and I compared it to everything that has previously been described on the West Coast of North America ... and it didn't match up to anything that was there."

To the untrained eye, the clam doesn't look much different than others. It's the same chalky white colour as many other clams and about the same length and height as a walnut in the shell.

Frey asked for the opinion of Graham Oliver, a world expert on bivalves at the National Museum of Wales, who confirmed it was a new species.

The two recently co-wrote an article on the clam, which has been published in the journal Zootaxa.

Only one of the clams has ever been found, and she said researchers often don't like to publish new species descriptions based on one specimen.

"But in certain cases, when you're in a certain situation where the environment is so far away and it's not an area that we get to very often, and we don't know that much about the relative abundance of these animals.

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/new-clam-species-found-off-of-b-c-s-coast-1.2121156#ixzz3KScOO275

A British paleontologist has discovered not one, but two new species of dinosaur while studying fossils in a Canadian museum. Dr Nick Longrich was examining fossilised bones from two horned dinosaurs, which had been kept in the Canadian Museum of Nature for 75 years. And he found that, while they had previously been classified as a species from Canada, they more closely resembled dinosaurs from the American south west - suggesting they are a new species. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2849070/Fossils-reveal-TWO-new-species-dinosaurs-roamed-North-America-75-million-years-ago.

A British paleontologist has discovered not one, but two new species of dinosaur while studying fossils in a Canadian museum.

Dr Nick Longrich was examining fossilised bones from two horned dinosaurs, which had been kept in the Canadian Museum of Nature for 75 years.

And he found that, while they had previously been classified as a species from Canada, they more closely resembled dinosaurs from the American south west - suggesting they are a new species.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2849070/Fossils-reveal-TWO-new-species-dinosaurs-roamed-North-America-75-million-years-ago.html#ixzz3KSbsglU3
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Lies, Damned Lies, and Cryptozoology

Plesiosaurs, like mermaids, Megalodon, and a representative democracy, don’t really exist anymore, but Baird’s Beaked Whales do, and you’re looking at one.

The internet is a double-edged sword of enlightenment and ignorance. It has the capacity to educate millions in ways never before possible, making science accessible, understandable, and relevant. At the same time it infects the public with idiocy, lies, pseudoscience, and the malevolent intention to mislead (kind of like Discovery Channel). Disinformation is a zombie. It is the resurrected body of mysteries solved, arguments settled, and bad science disproved, marching through half-baked websites and ‘shared’ by newly-infected readers not yet schooled in the truth, spreading fabrications and misinterpretations that eat away at the integrity of science and rot the brains of the masses.

Among the many internet zombies gnawing on science and pseudoscience blogs, the one I’ve battled is the “mystery’ of the “Moore’s Beach Monster” (sometimes called the “Santa Cruz Sea Serpent”), touted as a living plesiosaur in the modern world, a remnant of the age of dinosaurs in the 20th Century, and proof that ancient beasts still live among us. It has become a perennial icon for conspiracy-paranoid cryptozoologists and fundamentalist creationists. In fact, there never was a plesiosaur, and even upon its discovery, the remains of a decomposing beached carcass was shown most definitively not to be a plesiosaur, but dozens of internet sites still push the plesiosaur hoax. I get enough inquiries about the reptilian validity of the Moore’s Beach Monster every year that even the Travel Channel tried to help me debunk it in an episode of Mysteries at the Museum.READ MORE-http://deepseanews.com/2014/11/lies-damned-lies-and-cryptozoology/

Helvella dryophila.-New mushroom species found on Berkeley's campus

BERKELEY, Calif., Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The campus of the University of California Berkeley doesn't sit far from the epicenter of the Summer of Love. It still echoes with the sounds of psychedelia and Vietnam War protests. Suffice to say, the place is no stranger to mushrooms. The latest mushroom of interest, however, inspired a paper in a scientific journal, not colorful visions. Helvella dryophila is the 12th mushroom species to be discovered on Berkeley's campus, and the first in more than 30 years. The mushroom, which researchers describe as a beautiful black "elfin saddle" associated with oak trees, was discovered in a grassy open expanse called Observatory Hill. Else Vellinga and Nhu Nguyen, who happened upon the new species, collected samples and confirmed its genetic distinctiveness in the lab. The analysis was conducted in Bruns Lab, and assisted by Tom Bruns, a professor in Berkeley's Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. Their findings were published this week in Mycologia. The paper includes details on a similar mushroom Vellinga and Nguyen discovered in nearby Salt Point State Park. "Many mushroom species in California, and across North America, are mistakenly known by European names, but with the advent of DNA sequencing and more precise identification, it was discovered that our native mushrooms are entirely different," Nguyen said in a press release. "Once we figured out that the California elfin saddles were completely different from the European elfin saddles, we focused on the group and described two new species from California." "What was happening is that these mushrooms were parading around under another species' name," Vellinga added. "We can still find mushroom species that are new to science, right here on campus." The researchers say the two new species are edible, but may be mildly poisonous if cooked improperly. In addition to introducing new species, the two scientists are also working to better catalogue North America's vast array of fungi species. "Within the entire continent of North America there is not a single regional, state or local catalogue of the macrofungal species that presents a credible account of the species present and their distributions," Bruns said. All the scientists involved in the recent study hope a new and more comprehensive catalogue will grow exponentially as citizen scientists hunt for new species. If they can find a new mushroom in their backyard, the scientists say, others surely can, too. Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2014/11/21/New-mushroom-species-found-on-Berkeleys-campus/1461416606486/#ixzz3JnbNCaK2

New shrimp species discovered in SA

Picture: REUTERS Picture: REUTERS A NEW shrimp species has been discovered in False Bay, the University of Cape Town (UCT) said on Friday. The "stargazer mysid" was well-known to divers, but it was not until diver Guido Zsilavecz brought samples to the university that it was realised that the species had never been documented by marine biologists, UCT spokeswoman Kemantha Govender said in a statement. The shrimp, which measures a mere 10mm-15mm long, is commonly called "stargazer mysid" because its eyes seem to gaze permanently upwards. The "stargazer mysid" is the ninth Mysidopsis species found in southern Africa and is officially named Mysidopsis zsilaveczi after the diver who made the discovery. Mr Zsilavecz brought the shrimp to Emeritus Professor Charles Griffiths from UCT, who sent samples to Prof Karl Wittmann from the University of Vienna to confirm it was a new species. The creature is described in a joint paper by Prof Griffiths and Prof Wittmann, published recently in the Crustaceana journal. The crustacean’s apparently large, upward-staring eyes are a trick of nature, as shrimps don’t have a pupil or iris, Prof Griffiths said. The creatures have compound eyes like those of insects. The vivid, ringed patterns are thought to be there to make the eyes appear to belong to a much bigger creature, and hence to scare off predators, he said. Mr Zsilavecz also found a new species of nudibranch, a soft-bodied sea slug, at Long Beach in Cape Town. The flashy, fleshy creature has large green lobes and "wings" that resemble the Sydney Opera House. "Some 30 new marine species are found in South African waters annually," Prof Griffiths said. Sapa, With Bloomberg

Taxidermy and cryptozoology merge in unusual hobby

Christian is a trained taxidermist with a fascination and talent for creating unusual creatures. "I like my cryptozoology, I like these so-called mythical animals," he said. Cryptozoology deals with animals which may or may not exist. Hybrids like the Fiji mermaid (half monkey, half fish), the fur-bearing trout and the Swedish rabbit-bird are examples of such beasts; deftly fashioned by skilled taxidermists to appear as if they were real. "I've always been creative, I've always had a soft spot for animals, I've always grown up with pets," Christian said. "This seemed like albeit a weird match, it just seemed a match for all the different skills and all the different passions that I had." In his northern New South Wales home, Christian crafts all manner of preserved specimens. His workshop is adorned with a curious collection of horseshoe crabs, antlers, birds and fish. He has created several 'cryptids' such as a bat-winged cat and the fabled jackalope. "A jackalope is a rabbit with little tiny deer antlers," he said. "They usually stand on their back two legs." Wolpertingers, faux thylacines and two-headed mice Christian's workbench is covered with more than a dozen bird skeletons that a friend found in the leg of an antique diving suit. "I strip them down so it's just bare skeleton and then I mix and match it until I've got a complete one," he said.-READ MORE-http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/11/06/4122808.htm

, Paroedura hordiesi.-New nocturnal gecko species discovered in Madagascar

A new species of gecko has been found living among the crumbling remains of an old French fort in northern Madagascar. The gecko, nocturnal by nature, is a master of camouflage and seamlessly blends in with the surrounding rocks and fortress ruins, according to a new study. Although researchers first found the new gecko species (Paroedura hordiesi) in 2004, when they spotted a male with a broken tail, a new genetic analysis and a close examination of its physical features now show that it is a distinct species. After the scientists found more of the geckos around the French fort, they reported that the new species could measure up to 2.3 inches from their nose to the base of their tail. The creatures have long tails that can measure nearly the entire length of their bodies, up to 2.1 inches. [In Photos: The Wacky Animals of Madagascar] The geckos also have square-shape adhesive pads on their toes, a feature that is unique to Paroedura geckos, and the related gecko genus, Ebenavia, the researchers said. The newfound species has a relatively small habitat, spanning just 19 square miles. But the gecko is not alone in its territory in the past few years, researchers have identified other new reptile species at the Montagne des Franais Reserve in northern Madagascar, including new tree frogs, leaf chameleons, lizards and snakes. It's likely that other unknown reptile species live in this portion of the region's limestone mountains, called a massif, the researches said. But many of the animals native to the area could be threatened by habitat destruction, they said. In fact, the researchers asked that the new gecko species be classified as "Critically Endangered" on the Red List of Threatened Species, which is maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an international organization that tracks the status of animals, plants and fungi around the world. "The new Paroedura species from Montagne des Franais described in our paper is just one new contribution to the taxonomic inventory of this massif, which is believed to hold yet undiscovered diversity," researcher Frank Glaw, from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, said in a statement. "This discovery also highlights the threats affecting this microendemic species and other biota in the region." Although the geckos live in a protected reserve, their immediate habitat is separated from others by steep inclines known as "habitat islands," the researchers said. Several taxa, including dwarf frogs (Stumpffia), dwarf chameleons (Brookesia), burrowing skinks (Paracontias), leaf-tail geckos (Uroplatus) and the genus of the new geckos (Paroedura) have grown independently of animals in other habitat islands, allowing each island to become a hotspot of biodiversity. The Paroeduragenus is widespread throughout Madagascar's ecosystems, including the eastern rainforest, western dry forest, arid thornbush savanna and high mountain habitats. The study was published Nov. 5 in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.

Vintana sertichi =Fossil From Dinosaur Era Reveals Big Mammal With Super Senses

Dinosaurs that roamed Madagascar more than 66 million years ago had a most unusual fuzzy mammal living in their shadows—one so large, and with such strange features, that scientists say they could have never predicted its existence. Share Share on emailEmail More » That is, until 2010, when a team of scientists looking for fish fossils accidentally collected its nearly complete skull from a site along Madagascar's west coast. Since then, researchers have learned that the groundhog-like critter had supersensory capabilities, with a large portion of its brain devoted to smell, and that it weighed about 20 pounds (9 kilograms)—much more than most mammals alive during the age of the dinosaurs. "Not only does it have bizarre features, it's bizarre in being so humongous," says vertebrate paleontologist David Krause of Stony Brook University, in New York, who reports the find Wednesday in the journal Nature. Krause compares the critter's appearance to nutria, which are semiaquatic rodents, or an overgrown groundhog. "It's Punxsutawney Phil on steroids," he jokes. What's more, the lucky find is helping paleontologists fill in the mammalian evolutionary tree, especially during the age of the dinosaurs.-READ MORE -http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141105-mammal-evolution-vintana-fossil-science/

First Europeans 'weathered Ice Age'

The genetic ancestry of the earliest Europeans survived the ferocious Ice Age that took hold after the continent was initially settled by modern people. That is the suggestion of a study of DNA from a male hunter who lived in western Russia 36,000 years ago. His genome is not exactly like those of people who lived in Europe just after the ice sheets melted 10,000 years ago. But the study suggests the earliest Europeans did contribute their genes to later populations. Europe was first settled around 40,000 years ago during a time known as the Upper Palaeolithic. But conditions gradually deteriorated until ice covered much of the European landmass, reaching a peak 27,000 years ago. The ice melted rapidly after 10,000 years ago, allowing populations from the south to re-populate northern Europe - during a time known as the Mesolithic. But the genetic relationships between pre- and post-Ice Age Europeans have been unclear. Some researchers have in the past raised the possibility that pioneer populations in Europe could have gone extinct some time during the last Ice Age. And one recent study looking at the skull features of ancient Europeans found that Upper Palaeolithic people were rather different from populations that lived during the later Mesolithic period. In the latest study, an international team of researchers sequenced the genome (the genetic "blueprint" for a human) of a man buried in Kostenki, Russia. They discovered a surprising genetic "unity" running from the first modern humans in Europe, through to later peoples. This, they claim, suggests that a "meta-population" of Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers managed to survive the Ice Age and colonise the landmass of Europe for more than 30,000 years. "That there was continuity from the earliest Upper Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic, across a major glaciation, is a great insight into the evolutionary processes underlying human success," said co-author Dr Marta Mirazón Lahr, from Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies (LCHES).-READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29940694

Bats sabotage rivals' senses with sound in food race

Bats were "jammed" the moment they were about to hone in on their insect prey, making them miss their target. Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue. Listen to the bat's jamming sound The rival that emitted the call was then able to capture and eat the insect for itself. This is the first time scientists have witnessed this behaviour in one species - the Mexican free-tailed bat - a team reports in Science journal. When bats swoop in darkness to catch prey, they emit high-pitched sound waves - a process called echolocation - which speeds up as they get closer to their target. This well-known skill is vital for them to hunt for food and to navigate their environment. This new research shows that others can effectively push them off their tracks mid-hunt. Lead author of the work, Aaron Corcoran from Wake Forest University in North Carolina, was initially studying moths when he heard these bat calls. "One bat was trying to capture an insect using its echolocation. The second bat was making another sound that looked to me like it might be trying to jam or disrupt the echolocation of the other bat," said Dr Corcoran. "Most of the time when another bat was making this jamming call, the bat trying to capture the moth would miss", he added.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29931995

New Loch Ness Monster photo emerges suggesting creature could exist

Whether or not it actually exists, the Loch Ness Monster has become a pop culture staple. The creature has been mentioned in several works of literature, music, and movies which has helped to keep interest in the Loch Ness Monster steady. Now, though, there may be new evidence to support that the legendary Scottish creature does exist. According to a Nov. 7 report, new photographic evidence of the creature has emerged. The photograph in question shows what appears to be the head of a creature peeking out from the rough waves of the Loch. Jonathon Bright took the photograph three years ago and it took him six months to sift through all the images that he took while in Scotland. This is the one photo which showed possible evidence of the monster, but Bright makes it clear that he is not touting this photo as evidence that the Loch Ness Monster is indeed real. “Some people will say it is physical and the monster, others will say it is a trick of the water, others will say it is a hoax. It is what it is and I hope to find more proof now and in the future about what the Loch Ness Monster really is,” Bright explained. While the photograph may not be of the best quality, it does provide a jumping off point for folks who want to discuss the possibility of the existence of the creature. Speaking to Scotland Now, Bright seemed to echo those sentiments saying, “Of course, a picture alone will never be able to stand out as unambiguous evidence, let alone provide adequate answers to all of our questions on the exact nature of the phenomenon that we call Nessie. Whatever is the truth, there is no denying that Nessie will continue to intrigue the world for years to come." There is no doubt that Jonathon Bright is correct with that statement. It isn’t just the Loch Ness Monster that intrigues the world, however, but a lot of people are interested in several animals that are studied by cryptozoologists. Cryptozoology is the study of “hidden animals” and includes not only the Loch Ness Monster, but also Big Foot, Ogopogo, and the giant anaconda. While most people do not take the study of these creatures seriously, there have been instances where animals that were thought to not exist were discovered in the wild. These include the giant squid, the okapi, and the Komodo dragon. Will the Loch Ness Monster one day join these former creatures and be found to exist?

New Species of Deep-Sea Coral Discovered Off California

SAN FRANCISCO — Scientists have discovered a new species of deep-sea coral in underwater canyons off the Northern California coast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Wednesday. A NOAA research team using small submersibles found the coral in September near national marine sanctuaries off the coast of Sonoma County, the agency said. The coral from the genus Leptogorgia was discovered about 600 feet deep in the first intensive exploration of underwater canyons near the Gulf of Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries. Collecting data on the 4-inch-long white and red coral will help scientists determine the ecological importance of deep sea communities in the area and the threats they face, said the Farallones sanctuary's superintendent, Maria Brown. Before the research expedition two months ago, scientists knew little about the marine life in the area, NOAA said. After multiple dives in the area, researchers also found a "highly unusual" nursery area for catsharks. Image: A new species of deep-sea white coral found off the coast of Sonoma County, California NOAA VIA AP A new species of deep-sea white coral found by NOAA researchers off the coast of Sonoma County, California.

Sydney region's first new plant find in decades

The discovery of Sydney's newest plant was not a quick or simple exercise. Andrew Robinson, a bushland officer with the Ku-ring-gai Council, was on his first visit to a nature reserve back in 2006 when his eyes fixed on a "straggly little thing" less than a metre from the track. Kneeling down, Mr Robinson examined the plant up close. Clearly a native hibbertia, it was one the then-24-year-old couldn't identify from the thousand or so plant species he'd memorised. Julian's Hibbertia in full flower in the Ku-ring-gai Council region. Julian's Hibbertia in full flower in the Ku-ring-gai Council region. Photo: Wolter Peeters "I've just been a plant nerd basically my entire life," said Mr Robinson, a keen bushwalker formerly from Narara near Gosford. "From about the age of 7or 8 ... I remember thinking how cool it would be to come across a new plant and have it named after myself." Research and further visits to the reserve failed to produce a species to match the one Mr Robinson had spotted. What he needed, though, was to catch the plant in flower, which took another three years of luck and patience. Flowers "are so crucial in ID-ing hibbertia species," Mr Robinson said. "It's how many stamens and carpels [the male and female parts of the plant] are present inside the flower, and their arrangement." Still finding no close resemblance in the plant record, Mr Robinson's confidence he was "on to something funky" grew. The soils and other vegetation in the reserve – the location of which the council wishes to keep secret – were other clues he was dealing with at least a regionally significant species. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/sydney-regions-first-new-plant-find-in-decades-20141107-11ii10.html#ixzz3ITnmyw8H

Egg shape 'helped birds survive' asteroid impact

A clutch of the theropod Troodon’s eggs seen from below in the museum of the Rockies, Montana Fossil records of theropod eggs allowed scientists to analyse their geometric properties Continue reading the main story Related Stories Dinosaurs had 'flight-ready' brains Bird ancestor reshuffles fossil pack Asteroid 'killed off early birds' The shape of birds' eggs could have helped them survive the mass extinction event that killed off the dinosaurs, new research proposes. A team analysed the geometric properties of eggs from 250 million years ago (Mesozoic Era) to today. Before the extinction event about 65 million years ago, eggshells had notable differences to the lineage that survived. It is these survivors that all modern day birds descend from. But the authors note that egg shape is but a "small piece of the puzzle" of the evolutionary conundrum of why one lineage of birds made it through the mass extinction event, whereas others did not. Their findings are published in the Royal Society journal Open Science. The analysis found that Mesozoic eggs were elongated and significantly more symmetrical than all other bird eggs. Mesozoic bird eggshells were also more porous than expected for their size. Lead author of the work, Dr Charles Deeming from Lincoln University in the UK, found that fossil remains of eggs from 65 million years ago onwards were indistinguishable from modern bird eggs. The Mesozoic eggs, however, differed significantly. "This implies that Mesozoic birds were doing something more akin to theropod-like ancestors than to modern birds," he said. Microraptor is a feathered dinosaur discovered in the Early Cretaceous period (128-124 million-year-old) Microraptor is thought to be an evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs Theropod dinosaurs include the largest carnivorous predators which dominated the Earth during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. A branch of these, referred to as avian theropods are on the lineage that gave rise to birds. Although eggshell shape could be a contributing factor, how exactly one group survived still largely remains a mystery. "We don't know why this iconic group disappeared and the relatives of modern birds survived," Dr Deeming told BBC News. "We're not claiming in our paper that this tells us the answer." It could also be down to their behaviour, he explained. "I suspect modern birds survived the major extinction event because they used contact incubation that's prevalent now; they built nests and sat on their eggs whereas most of the birds prior to that were burying the eggs like their theropod ancestors, potentially making them more vulnerable." King penguins incubating eggs Scientists compared modern eggs to extinct eggs from early birds and feathered dinosaurs Dr Gareth Dyke at the University of Southampton specialises in the evolution of birds. Commenting on the work, he said it was "perhaps intuitive" that eggshells differed in shape and that it was interesting to show this for the first time. "We know that in the late Cretaceous there were at least two or three other lineages of flying birds that were anatomically quite similar to the group that went on to radiate and become all of the living [bird] species after the extinction event." Dr Dyke added that the differences between these groups represented one of the big unanswered questions for palaeontologists. "It's got to be some biological or ecological reason. If it was more random you would expect that stragglers from some groups in the Cretaceous would have limped across the extinction events, but that didn't happen." Guillemots breeding Modern birds like guillemots incubate their eggs Expanding on this point, Gary Kaiser, a biologist at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada, said that egg shapes were certainly important. "We know that some dinosaurs incubated eggs but we also know from fine structure of the bones that their hatchlings were small and took a long time to reach adult size. A slow or extended reproductive period may have been the type of problem that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs." Prof Xu Xing from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing commented: "The authors have done a nice piece of work demonstrating the shape changes among amniote eggs. "However, I could not find how this study helps to understand the big extinction. Because the authors group birds based on geological time, they effectively eliminate the possibility of finding any pattern for birds surviving the extinction event."

Could sound design help captive rhino breeding?

rhinoceroses napping Captive breeding is crucial because of the threat to wild rhinos posed by poachers Continue reading the main story Related Stories Worst year yet for SA rhino poaching Rhino horn DNA database introduced Rare black rhino calf born at zoo Researchers in Texas are investigating whether the hum and rumble of urban life is one of the factors that hinders the captive breeding of rhinoceroses. Other research has considered the influence of diet and physical surroundings, but scientists speaking at a conference said they believed the animals' soundscape might be crucial. Rhinos have extremely good ears, picking up "infrasound" far deeper than the range of human hearing. Three species are listed as endangered. "We can go into some zoos and think, this is delightfully quiet - but it might be that some animals don't think it's quiet at all, because urban areas have a lot of chronic infrasound," said lead researcher Suzi Wiseman. Ms Wiseman, who has just completed a doctorate in environmental geography at Texas State University, presented her preliminary results at a meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Indianapolis. 'Healthy soundscape' Rhinos, she explained, can hear down to a frequency of four hertz, whereas even a human baby, with entirely undamaged ears, can normally only pick up sounds as low as 20 hertz. Giraffes and elephants can also hear in this infrasound range. The other end of rhino hearing might also be quite acute, because people have witnessed the animals making high-pitched whistling and giggling noises when adults and youngsters play-read more-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-29846902

Sclerobunus steinmanni,2 new daddy longlegs species found in Colorado caves.

DENVER - Just when you weren't itchy enough, Denver Museum of Nature & Science biologist David Steinmann had to go and discover two new species of daddy longlegs inside Colorado caves. Sclerobunus steinmanni, named after Steinmann, was found in a rocky cave on City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land. DNA studies show this species evolved for millions of years while slowly adapting to the underground environment. It is orange and yellow, and very different looking from the daddy longlegs most familiar to people. Steinmann identified a second new species in the Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, living deep underground in total darkness. This species was named Sclerobunus speoventus, derived from the Latin words for cave and wind, and lives in parts of the cave seldom visited by people. Lateral and ventral views, S. speoventus, paratype Lateral and ventral views, S. speoventus, paratype (Cave of the Winds, CO), arrow indicates curved subapical spines.(Photo: plosone.org) "Although Cave of the Winds has long served as a popular visitor destination in the Pikes Peak region, it is not surprising that new discoveries of life are being made in sections of the cave not open to the public," said Rick Rhinehart, author of Colorado Caves. "Additional study of caves is critical to better understand our world and the species that live in unusual places." WDENVER - Just when you weren't itchy enough, Denver Museum of Nature & Science biologist David Steinmann had to go and discover two new species of daddy longlegs inside Colorado caves.

Sclerobunus steinmanni, named after Steinmann, was found in a rocky cave on City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land. DNA studies show this species evolved for millions of years while slowly adapting to the underground environment. It is orange and yellow, and very different looking from the daddy longlegs most familiar to people.

Steinmann identified a second new species in the Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs, living deep underground in total darkness. This species was named Sclerobunus speoventus, derived from the Latin words for cave and wind, and lives in parts of the cave seldom visited by people.

Lateral and ventral views, S. speoventus, paratype (Cave of the Winds, CO), arrow indicates curved subapical spines.(Photo: plosone.org)

"Although Cave of the Winds has long served as a popular visitor destination in the Pikes Peak region, it is not surprising that new discoveries of life are being made in sections of the cave not open to the public," said Rick Rhinehart, author of Colorado Caves. "Additional study of caves is critical to better understand our world and the species that live in unusual places."

With assistance from Dr. Frank Krell and Dr. Paula Cushing, scientists at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Steinmann has found more than 100 new invertebrate species in Colorado caves. Jeff Stephenson, Denver Museum of Nature & Science collections manager, added these new species to the Zoology Department's arachnid collections in 2008. Steinmann, his wife Debbie, and their 11-year-old son Nathan frequently explore caves to find new life-forms, going where no one has ever looked before.

San Diego State University scientists Shahan Derkarabetian and Dr. Marshal Hedin recently named the new species of daddy longlegs in the journal PLOS ONE.

"Finding a new species does not require traveling to the rain forest. There is still so much to be discovered right here in America," explained Steinmann.ith assistance from Dr. Frank Krell and Dr. Paula Cushing, scientists at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Steinmann has found more than 100 new invertebrate species in Colorado caves. Jeff Stephenson, Denver Museum of Nature & Science collections manager, added these new species to the Zoology Department's arachnid collections in 2008. Steinmann, his wife Debbie, and their 11-year-old son Nathan frequently explore caves to find new life-forms, going where no one has ever looked before. San Diego State University scientists Shahan Derkarabetian and Dr. Marshal Hedin recently named the new species of daddy longlegs in the journal PLOS ONE. "Finding a new species does not require traveling to the rain forest. There is still so much to be discovered right here in America," explained Steinmann.

New species of frog found in ... NYC

The Atlantic Coast leopard frog lives in the marshes of Staten Island, at the edge of New York Harbor.The Atlantic Coast leopard frog lives in the marshes of Staten Island, at the edge of New York Harbor. A new frog species is discovered in New York, of all places Researchers encountered the frogs living in the marshes of Staten Island The finding confirms research done more than 75 years ago (CNN) -- New York is famous for its singular residents: Loudmouthed taxi drivers. Hirsute Brooklyn hipsters. Upper East Side patrons of the arts. Now, the city is welcoming an unlikely new breed of denizen: a newly discovered species of frog. See new species of 'snotty' jellyfish 2013: 3 new species discovered in Australia 2012: New monkey species discovered A team of scientists has identified the unique critter, dubbed the Atlantic Coast leopard frog, in the marshes of Staten Island -- beside New York Harbor and not far from the Statue of Liberty. The frog's habitat stretches from Connecticut to North Carolina, but it's the discovery of an exotic animal species in one of the world's most densely populated urban areas that has scientists buzzing. "It is incredible and exciting that a new species of frog could be hiding in plain sight in New York City," said Joanna Burger, a biology professor at Rutgers University and a co-author of a research paper about the frog, published this week in the scientific journal PLOS One. The finding confirms research done more than 75 years ago by Carl Kauffeld, former director of the Staten Island Zoo, who wrote many books about amphibians and was considered an authority on the subject. Kauffeld published a paper in 1937 in which he claimed to have discovered the new frog species, but his research was dismissed for lack of evidence. Kauffeld died in 1974 at age 63. His cause was taken up six years ago by Rutgers doctoral candidate Jeremy Feinberg, lead author of the new paper. Feinberg and other researchers said they were able to employ modern technology to examine the genetics and mating calls of leopard frogs and determine that the amphibians in the wetlands of Staten Island were in fact distinct from two closely related other species inhabiting the northeast U.S. "We had the benefits of genetic testing and bioacoustic analysis that simply weren't available to Kauffeld to prove that even though this frog might look like the two other leopard frogs in the area, it was actually a third and completely separate species," Feinberg said. In giving the scientific name Rana kauffeldi to the new frog, Feinberg and a team of seven other researchers chose to honor Kauffeld and his work. "After some discussion, we agreed that it just seemed right to name the species after Carl Kauffeld," Feinberg said. "We wanted to acknowledge his work and give credit where we believe it was due, even though it was nearly 80 years after the fact." Despite its trademark urban canyons of steel, glass and concrete, New York actually is home to a wide variety of animal life. The 843 acres of Central Park, for example, contain raccoons and opossums, many types of migratory birds and a rare species of centipede. And, of course, lots and lots of pigeons. No word on whether the Staten Island frog ever swims across the harbor to Manhattan for a little sightseeing. But given the public fascination with the Bronx Zoo cobra that briefly escaped its enclosure in 2011, it may be only a matter of time before the new frog gets its own Twitter account.