New species of monitor lizards found on the black market

Searching the globe for undiscovered species takes biologists to far and remote locations, trekking through exotic locales that may yield a new discovery. However, exploring the black market can also produce results. And this is just the case for Rafe Brown, curator of the University Of Kansas (KU) Biodiversity Institute, during a recent visit to the Philippines. In a black market in Manila, Brown and his colleagues discovered two new species of water monitor lizard for sale. "Both are gorgeous, black-and-white or black- and yellow-colored animals," stated Brown. "They are dark in general appearance with bright speckling of white or yellow spots arranged in rows and stripes around the body, as if wearing shining necklaces. One gets up to a little over three feet in length, and the other is somewhat larger at about four feet. They're monitor lizards, so they're alert, with large eyes, continually flicking long tongues, which they 'smell' with, and they're generally very alert and look quite intelligent." The black market is an unfortunate resource that Brown and his peers use to keep track of Philippine's mega-biodiversity. "Over a five-year period we visited pet markets, roadside bush-meat stands, and various other markets where monitor lizards were sold as pets or meat,” said Brown. “We used to walk around pet markets and side streets talking to traders using circuitous conversation and eventually getting around to asking Read more: http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0327-buelna-new-lizards-black-market.html#ixzz3Vh57xywj

Sibirosaurus' -New species of dinosaur discovered - and it's one of the biggest that ever lived ?

Scientists claim to have discovered a new species of dinosaur that was one of the largest that ever roamed the planet. Experts from Russia who have been working on mystery fossils found on the banks of a Siberian river seven years ago have sensationally reached the verdict that the dinosaur is a completely new discovery. They say the giant beast lived 100 million years ago and is related to the Titanosaur, which was estimated to have weighed up to 100 tonnes and was up to 40 metres long - the same as NINE double-decker buses-READ MORE-http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/new-species-dinosaur-discovered---5416999

Thirty new fly species found in LA's urban sprawl

No, it's not Damien Hirst's latest creation. The flies pinned down in this photo are from six of 30 new species discovered in the urban metropolis of Los Angeles, California. The insects were identified as part of a project led by Emily Hartop of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where local volunteers took part by setting up 24-hour insect traps at 30 sites across the city. "For us, it seemed like a no-brainer," says volunteer Walter Renwick. "We have two young bug-crazy children, a bug-crazy dad, and a very patient mom in our household." Hartop then sifted through 10,000 fly specimens over a three-month period to identify the new species. Conveniently, each new member of the fly genus Megaselia could be matched to one of the backyards where it had been spotted, so researchers named each species after the corresponding citizen scientist. The finds reveal a surprising biodiversity in LA, one of the most smog-choked cities in the US

'Sparklemuffin' and 'Skeletorus' spider species discovered by university graduate student

Two newly discovered Australian spiders may challenge your preconceptions of the creepy crawly species. Nicknamed ‘Sparklemuffin’ and ‘Skeletorus’, the new species of spider were discovered in southeast Queensland by US university graduate student Madeline Girad and a friend, Live Science reported. Ms Girad, who studies peacock spiders at the Californian University of Berkley, gave the arachnids – formally known as Maratus jactatus and Maratus sceletus – the affection names based on their unusual markings. The two spiders have also been captured on camera showing off their dance moves. Peacock spiders, first discovered in the 1800s, are so-called due to their colourful abdominal flaps that they display during courtship and in one case during ritualised contexts between males. READ MORE: VENOMOUS BANANA SPIDERS FOUND IN SHOPPING VIDEO: MEET THE SPIDER THAT REFUSES TO DIE The ‘Sparklemuffin’, measuring from 4.5mm to 4.6mm, despite its beautiful markings initially did not excite entomologist Jurgen Otto as it appeared similar to previously discovered species.READ MORE-http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sparklemuffin-and-skeletorus-spider-species-discovered-by-university-graduate-student-10118848.html ALSO SEE-http://strangeanimalsaghostman.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/two-new-super-cute-species-of-peacock.html

Carolina butcher', the giant, upright crocodile that roamed the earth before dinosaurs

Washington: A new species found in North Carolina is one of the oldest and largest crocodile relatives ever known. Back before dinosaurs were the big bads of the world, Carnufex carolinensis ruled the North American continent. At 2.7 metres long and walking on its hind legs, this top land predator with a long skull and blade-like teeth roamed 230 million years ago. Researchers described the species (which translates to "Carolina Butcher") for the first time on Thursday in Scientific Reports. Its bones may have been found in a quarry, but back in the Butcher's day North Carolina was a lush, warm, wet region just beginning to pull away from the supercontinent of Pangea. And in that region, it seems, an upright crocodile roamed. The Carnufex carolinensis fossil was actually discovered a decade ago, but its bones have been sitting in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences ever since. "When we got the bones out and prepared them, we found out that it was actually a really cool species," said Lindsay Zanno, assistant professor at North Carolina State University and lead author of the new research paper. "As one of the earliest and oldest crocodylomorphs, Carnufex was a far cry from living crocodiles. It was an agile, terrestrial predator that hunted on land," he said. "Carnufex predates the group that living crocodiles belong to." Most croc relatives from that time were smaller in size and seemed lower on the food chain. They were about the same size - and threat to prey - as a fox. But at 2.7 metres long - a height it stretched to fully by walking on two legs - the Carolina Butcher would have been one of the fiercest animals around, if not the very fiercest.READ MORE-http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/carolina-butcher-the-giant-upright-crocodile-that-roamed-the-earth-before-dinosaurs-20150

Peckoltia greedoi,Greedo Fish Is A New Species Of Catfish; And Yes, It's Been Named After A 'Star Wars' Character

Meet Peckoltia greedoi, a newly-named species of suckermouth armored catfish. And if its name calls to mind a character from a galaxy far, far away -- well, that's the point. The fish was named for Greedo, the bounty hunter killed by Han Solo in "Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope." Jonathan Armbruster, biological sciences professor and curator of fishes for the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, said he was trying to name the fish when his colleague, arachnologist Chris Hamilton, said it looked a little familiar. "Chris looked at the specimen and said 'that looks like that guy from Star Wars,'" Armbruster said in a university news release. "After a little prodding, I realized he was talking about Greedo. We then knew what the name had to be. The Peckoltia greedoi does bear a striking resemblance to Greedo."-READ MORE AND SEE VIDEO-http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/19/greedo-fish-star-wars_n_6899678.html

Do you have a pet VAMPIRE crab? Researchers find two creepy crustaceans sold as pets are actually new species Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3001024/Do-pet-VAMPIRE-crab-Researchers-two-creepy-crustaceans-sold-pets-actually-neW

Despite their creepy claws and bright yellow eyes, vampire crabs are increasingly popular pets. Now, experts have discovered two new species of the spooky crustaceans - Geosesarma dennerle and Geosesarma hagen - have been lurking in home aquariums for years. They traced the freshwater crabs' origins back to their wild source - finding that they live in rivers on the island of Java, Indonesia. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3001024/Do-pet-VAMPIRE-crab-Researchers-two-creepy-crustaceans-sold-pets-actually-new-G. dennerle is purple in colour with a cream patch on its back, while G. hagen has a bright orange shell and claws which stand out against the rest of its dark body, according to the study published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. WHAT ARE VAMPIRE CRABS Vampire crabs are so-called because of their spooky yellow eyes, which are the same colour as fictional vampires' who drink the blood of animals/ Before being identified as new species, the two types of crabs were known to have originally come from somewhere in Southeast Asia. A site selling vampire crabs says they thrive in aquariums with rocks to climb on and like to sit on Java moss. Females dig down into sand to have their offspring and both sexes are more active in warmer water - typically between 21°C and 27°C (70°F and 80°F). They are apparently easy to care for and are quite sociable, getting along well with one another and seldom fight. The crabs grow up to one inch wide (3cm) and live for up to three years. Christoph Schubart, co-author of the study from Resenburg University, Germany, said dealers look for bright specimens in areas which may not have been explored by scientists. 'Suddenly the market is formed with some animals that no one has ever given a name,' he said. Lukhaup, who is from Transylvania, the fabled home of Dracula, used contacts in the aquarium trade to find out where dealers were getting the colourful crabs from and after several false leads, found they come from central Java. He suspects there are more vampire crab species to be uncovered on Indonesia's islands, because the crabs tend to stay put, meaning different species could exist in different places. However, while this may be exciting for scientists, there are concerns that wild populations could dwindle if too many crabs are collected for pets. They sell for around $25 (£17) each. It's hoped that commercial breeding could prevent this problem. The crabs are amphibious, which Lukhaup thinks may explain why they are brightly coloured- because visual cues are important for communicating on land, while chemical cues reign supreme underwater. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3001024/Do-pet-VAMPIRE-crab-Researchers-two-creepy-crustaceans-sold-pets-actually-new-species.html#ixzz3V1zyMoBn 

One in ten wild bees face extinction in Europe

Almost one in 10 of Europe's native wild bees face extinction, according to the most comprehensive expert assessment so far. The European Red List, drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, found 9.2% of nearly 2,000 species are threatened with extinction. Another 5% are likely to be threatened in the near future. Threats include loss of habitat from intensive farming, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote If we don't address the roots of the decline in wild bees, and act urgently to stop it, we could pay a very heavy price indeed” Karmenu Vella EU commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Jean-Christophe Vié, of the IUCN Global Species Programme, said the assessment was the best understanding so far on wild bees in Europe, but knowledge was incomplete due to "an alarming lack of expertise and resources". "Bees play an essential role in the pollination of our crops," he said. "We must urgently invest in further research in order to provide the best possible recommendations on how to reverse their decline."-READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31963056

Orangutans cup their mouths to alter their voices

Orangutans use their hands to alter their voices and make themselves sound bigger, say scientists. The animals cup their mouths when they produce kiss squeaks - alarm calls that often signify a predator is nearby. Researchers have now studied the acoustics of these "hand-modified kiss squeaks" and shown that the animals sound bigger and "more impressive" when they use their hands in the call. The findings are published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.READ MORE AND SEE VIDEO-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31913136

the-worlds-most-painful-insect-sting

The bullet ant (Paraponera clavata) gets its name from the shot of intense pain it delivers with its venom-filled sting. The recipient experiences its agonising effects for the next 12 - 24 hours. Living in the South American rainforest and growing to around an inch (2.54cm) long, most of us are capable of keeping out of its way. Level four you don’t want to know However entomologist Dr Justin Schmidt has got close enough to this vicious ant in attack mode to rate its sting as the most painful in the world. He describes the experience as: “Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like walking over flaming charcoal with a three inch nail embedded in your heel.” Dr Schmidt, from the Southwestern Biological Institute in Arizona, US, is no stranger to the pain inflicted by insects. He reckons he’s been -READ MORE-http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150312-the-worlds-most-painful-insect-sting