New webspinner insect species discovered in PHL More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/475934/scitech/science/new-webspinner-insect-species-discovered-in-phl

A new species of webspinner insect was recently discovered in the Philippines by researchers from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños, hinting that webspinners may not be as rare in the country as previously thought. According to a study by Cristian Lucanas and Dr. Ireneo Lit, Jr., published in the Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology, there might actually be three species in the country. Webspinners are insects from the Embioptera order of insects. Found largely in the tropics, they’re small and reclusive. They build nests and tunnels using silk produced from glands in their forelegs, spending almost all their time hidden and eating plant matter. Scientists previously thought that only two Embioptera species existed in the Philippines, only one of which is endemic to the country. However, the UPLB researchers have found that, based on their study, that there might actually be three species that live in the Philippines: Aposthonia borneensis (Hagen), Oligotoma saundersii (Westwood), and Oligotoma sp. aff. humbertiana (Saussure). All three species fall under the Oligotomidae family. Hagen webspinner specimens were found in Los Baños and Pagsanjan, Laguna. Saussure webspinners were also found in Pagsanjan and also in Polillo Island, Quezon while specimens of Westwood webspinners were found in Mt. Makiling, Laguna and Abra. While the geographic range of Embioptera is greater than previously thought, they’re still vulnerable to pollution—specimens found in urban areas were in relatively less polluted locations. — TJD, GMA News More from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/475934/scitech/science/new-webspinner-insect-species-discovered-in-phl

New macaque species discovered in Tibet

Photos of white-cheeked macaques. (Internet photo)

Chinese experts claim to have discovered a new species of macaque and now the race is on to protect it.

The new monkey species–found in southeast Tibet's Modog county–has been named the white-cheeked macaque.

Although the discovery was only published last month on the website of American Journal of Primatology, experts say it is already feeling the stress of human encroachment and activities.

Chinese wildlife photographer Li Cheng first identified the new species after he heard its call in the woods in 2012.

"It was a high-pitched 'Yi-ou'–I had never heard such a call from a macaque before," Li recalls. However, the group of around 10 macaques vanished into the woods before he could make them out.

In October 2013, Li joined a field survey of wild species in Tibet. He set 31 cameras in the primeval forest in Modog. Motion sensors triggered the cameras to take three images and a 15-second video each time they detected movement.

Half a year later, he had 738 photos and more than 100 videos of the "special macaques" of Modog.

In December 2014, Fan Pengfei, an associate professor of primate studies in Dali University, and Zhao Chao, a researcher at Southwest Forestry University, both claimed to have seen the "special macaques" in Modog.READ MORE-http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20150425000014&cid=1104

The frog with an underwater SEX DUNGEON: Amphibian that likes to mate in privacy and hide its eggs discovered

Frogs that build underground ‘sex nests’ to mate with their partner have been found by a team of researchers. The intriguing males build these secret chambers to avoid predators. The discovery was made by researchers in the Atlantic forest of Serra do Japi in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.The new species of torrent frog, reported by New Scientist, is called Hylodes japi. The amphibian, part of the Hylodes lateristrigatus group, is characterised by light stripes on its size, while it is also relatively small, according to the researchers.And when it comes to mating, this family of frogs has a unique trait not seen in other frogs. They typically like to live near fast streams and, if a pair decides to mate, they will spend five minutes searching for a private spot. ‘The male quickly carves out a chamber by excavating the sand around small rocks at the bottom of the stream,’ said Agata Blaszczak-Boxe from New Scientist. ‘Then, like Christian Grey from Fifty Shades he invites his mate into his sex dungeon, which is only just big enough to fit the two amorous amphibians.READ MORE-http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3053692/The-frog-underwater-SEX-DUNGEON-Amphibian-likes-mate-privacy-hide-eggs-discovevered.htmlg

Caribbean super-rat history extracted from DNA

Scientists have pieced together the evolutionary history of a fascinating group of extinct Caribbean rats, some of which grew to the size of cats. The so-called rice rats were lost from the Lesser Antilles - the likes of St Kitts and Grenada - over 100 years ago. They were driven to oblivion by the activities of European settlers. But now, UK researchers' DNA studies have worked out when the rodents first arrived in the islands, and how they radiated across the region. Selina Brace, Sam Turvey and others report their work in Proceedings B, a journal of the Royal Society. It was a tough job. Only a few examples of these rats are still held in museum collections, and the DNA material recovered from archaeological specimens tends to have degraded in the tropical heat. Nonetheless, the team was able to find sufficient samples to map out the rodents' history. Surprising diversity The investigations show these creatures probably first arrived in the eastern Caribbean about six million years ago, in the late Miocene.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32412191

Mammoth genome sequence completed

The new genome study has been published in the journal Current Biology. Dr Love Dalén, at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, told BBC News that the first ever publication of the full DNA sequence of the mammoth could help those trying to bring the creature back to life. It seems to me that trying this out might lead to suffering for female elephants and that would not be ethically justifiable Love Dalén, Swedish Museum of Natural History "It would be a lot of fun (in principle) to see a living mammoth, to see how it behaves and how it moves," he said. But he would rather his research was not used to this end. "It seems to me that trying this out might lead to suffering for female elephants and that would not be ethically justifiable." Dr Dalén and the international group of researchers he is collaborating with are not attempting to resurrect the mammoth. But the Long Now Foundation, an organisation based in San Francisco, claims that it is. Now, with the publication of the complete mammoth genome, it could be a step closer to achieving its aim. On its website, the foundation says its ultimate goal is "to produce new mammoths that are capable of repopulating the vast tracts of tundra and boreal forest in Eurasia and North America. "The goal is not to make perfect copies of extinct woolly mammoths, but to focus on the mammoth adaptations needed for Asian elephants to live in the cold climate of the tundra.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32432693

Mosquitoes 'lured by body odour genes'

The likelihood of being bitten by mosquitoes could be down to genes that control our body odour, a preliminary study in Plos One suggests. Researchers tested pairs of identical and non-identical twins to see how attractive they were to mosquitoes. Identical twins were more likely to have similar levels of attractiveness - suggesting shared genetic factors were at play. The "intriguing" results must now be assessed in larger trials, experts say. Researchers have long tried to understand what drives mosquitoes to bite certain people more than others. Recent work shows the insects may be lured to their victims by body odour. And anecdotal reports suggest some relatives are just as likely to be bitten as each other. Scientists from the UK and US wanted to find out whether genes were behind this phenomenon. To test their theory they enlisted 19 non-identical and 18 identical pairs of twins in a pilot study.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32411671

Podcast: Bone worms, vampire bats, and plaque-fighting nanoparticles

Did bone worms feast on ancient marine reptiles? What surprise have scientists found about the diet of vampire bats? And could plaque-busting nanoparticles save you a trip to the dentist? Science's Online News Editor David Grimm chats about these stories and more withScience's Susanne Bard. Plus, Evan MacLean discusses the role of oxytocin in mediating the relationship between dogs and people.

Posted in Scientific Community podcast-FOLLOW LINK TO PODCAST-http://news.sciencemag.org/scientific-community/2015/04/podcast-bone-worms-vampire-bats-and-plaque-fighting-nanoparticles

Hyalinobatrachium dianae,-Meet the see-thru frog! New species of amphibian has transparent skin to reveal its organs - and Kermit's eyes Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3043819/A-ribbiting-discovery-New-species-glass-frog-transparent-skin-reveal-organs-Kermit-s-eyes.

A new species of glass frog has been discovered with translucent skin so you can see its insides.

The creature, named Hyalinobatrachium dianae, was found in the mountains of eastern Costa Rica and has a distinctive call.

While most of its body is a brilliant lime green, like all species of glass frogs, the skin on its underside is see-though, making its organs easily visible

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3043819/A-ribbiting-discovery-New-species-glass-frog-transparent-skin-reveal-organs-Kermit-s-eyes.html#ixzz3XfcPM8ZM 

Midget Dragons' Found In South American Jungle

Three new species of lizard have been discovered in South America which nature enthusiasts have described as "midget dragons". The discoveries were made in the rainforests of the Tropical Andes region of Ecuador and Peru. The scientists who found the new species say even more reptiles are probably waiting to be discovered.READ MORE-http://news.sky.com/story/1465412/midget-dragons-found-in-south-american-jungle

New Whale Species Found Near Antarctica, Researchers Record Two New Beaked Whale Songs

Researchers are saying there’s a new whale species found near Antarctica, but although they think it is new type of beaked whale, the only evidence they have so far for the ocean creature’s existence is its whale song. In a related report by the Inquisitr, a rare Omura whale was found on a Western Australia beach recently. Over in Ecuador, a whale shark beached itself and required a huge rescue attempt. So far, scientists only know the potential new whale species by its signal, known as Antarctic BW29 and Antarctic BW37. These recordings were made aboard a research vessel sailing the waters near the South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, and Antarctic Peninsula. These frigid waters hold many undiscovered things, and they believe these unique whale songs confirm at least one, and potentially two, new whale species. The two new signals were recorded using an underwater hydrophone array that was towed 200 meters behind the research ship, according to Whales.org. Antarctic BW29 was recorded more than 1,000 times. The timing and type of sound it made is considered unique, since the whale song’s structure does not fit the profile of any known beaked whales. Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/2011947/new-whale-species-found-near-antarctica-researchers-record-two-new-beaked-whale-songs/#5xue8hyJXhjtguQ9.99

New species alert: There are dwarf dragons in the Andes

Where are your dragons? Probably in the Andes. Researchers have discovered three new species of woodlizards -- relatively large lizards resembling mini-dragons -- living in the Andean cloud-forests of Peru and Ecuador. They published their findings Monday in the journal ZooKeys. The three new species -- Enyalioides altotambo, Enyalioides anisolepis and Enyalioides sophiarothschildae -- brings the total number of known woodlizards to 15. That's quite a leap from less than 10 years ago, when study co-author Omar Torres-Carvajal was completing his post-doctoral work. At that time, there were just seven such woodlizards known to science. "They look like tiny dragons. That makes them really attractive for some people," Torres-Carvajal told The Post by phone. "They are, to me, one of the most wonderful lizards in South American forests." [The newest species of catfish is named after Greedo from ‘Star Wars’]READ MORE-http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/04/08/new-species-alert-there-are-dwarf-dragons-in-the-andes/

New species of monkey - white-cheeked macaque - identified by its weird penis and dark hairy scrotum

A new species of monkey has been discovered in south-eastern Tibet, identified by its weird genitals – a rounded glans penis and a dark, hairy scrotum. Macaca leucogenys, white-cheeked macaque, was identified through 738 photos taken during direct observations and camera traps. Researchers publishing their findings in the American Journal of Primatology said the creature appears to be distinct from the Macaca sinica species group, including M. mulatta, M. thibetana, M. assamensis, and M. munzala. "Moreover, the species is distinguished from all potential sympatric [those who live in the same region] macaque in exhibiting a suite of pelage characteristics including relatively uniform dorsal hair pattern, hairy ventral pelage [its hair, fur, wool, or other soft covering], relative hairless short tail, prominent pale to white side- and chin-whiskers creating a white cheek and round facial appearance, dark facial skin on the muzzle, long and thick hairs on its neck, and a round rather than arrow-shaped male genitalia," the authors wrote. The team said the species was found in a range of habitat types, from tropical forests to evergreen broad-leaved forests. -READ MORE-http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/new-species-monkey-white-cheeked-macaque-identified-by-its-weird-penis-dark-hairy-scrotum-1495773

Eye on the tiger: trailing the elusive thylacine-Ignoring the scoffs from scientists, amateur sleuths are convinced they can find the Tasmanian Tiger – as long as there is no discomfort involved. By Frank Robson.

Pretend Base Camp One is near the Weld River Valley, a formidable wilderness in southern Tasmania where driven men have risked their lives for decades in search of the officially extinct Tasmanian tiger. Even now, parts of "the Weld" remain almost impenetrable, a lost world of confounding animal trails and sheer rock faces in which one careless step can spell disaster. But we're not getting involved in anything like that. We're part of a modern Tassie tiger hunt, committed to good coffee and the strict avoidance of anything involving physical discomfort. Which is why we're spending the night beside a vehicle-friendly forestry track just 15 minutes from the nearest township.READ MORE-http://www.theage.com.au/good-weekend/eye-on-the-tiger-trailing-the-elusive-thylacine-20150410-1m6eo0.html

T. rex cousin has battle scars and signs of cannibalism

The skull of an adolescent tyrannosaur shows signs of vicious combat and of being eaten by other big dinosaurs, possibly of the same species. The 500kg animal was a Daspletosaurus, a slightly smaller cousin of the mighty T. rex - which has already faced scientific accusations of cannibalism. This unfortunate specimen received many vicious wounds while alive, and was then bitten by a scavenger after death. Results of the crowd-funded study were reported in open-access journal PeerJ. "This animal clearly had a tough life, suffering numerous injuries across the head including some that must have been quite nasty," said lead author Dr David Hone from Queen Mary, University of London. "The most likely candidate to have done this is another member of the same species, suggesting some serious fights between these animals during their lives." The beast was probably about six metres long and its remains were found in a quarry in Alberta, Canada, in 1994. Its skull, housed in Alberta's Royal Tyrrell Museum, shows many injuries which Dr Hone and his colleague Darren Tanke, a senior technician at the museum, have now described in detail.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32233105

'Terror birds' had deep voices, fossil suggests

A 90%-complete "terror bird" skeleton found on an Argentinean beach suggests these big-beaked predators had good low-frequency hearing and deep voices. It is the most complete skeleton ever discovered for one of these menacing beasts, and represents a new species. Scientists have even been able to reconstruct the shape of its inner ear. This offers clues about the animal's hearing, which was probably lower than that of modern birds and suggests they used low-pitched calls to communicate. The find is reported in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Argentinian palaeontologists made the discovery in the cliffs of La Estafeta beach, not far from the popular tourist city of Mar del Plata. Federico Degrange, one of the study's authors, said dealing with the tide had presented a challenge. "The sea can actually take the fossil and destroy it in the sea. It's a nice place to work, but you have to be fast," he told BBC News. Terror birds, or "phorusrhacids", were the top predators on the South American land mass in the era following the dinosaurs' extinction some 65 million years ago.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-32218542

Cave crustaceans 'losing visual brain'

A study of blind crustaceans living in deep, dark caves has revealed that evolution is rapidly withering the visual parts of their brain. The findings catch evolution in the act of making this adjustment - as none of the critters have eyes, but some of them still have stumpy eye-stalks. Three different species were studied, each representing a different subgroup within the same class of crustaceans. The research is published in the journal BMC Neuroscience. It's a nice example of life conditions changing the neuroanatomy Dr Martin Stegner, University of Rostock The class of "malocostracans" also includes much better-known animals like lobsters, shrimps and wood lice, but this study focussed on three tiny and obscure examples that were only discovered in the 20th Century. It is the first investigation of these mysterious animals' brains. "We studied three species. All of them live in caves, and all of them are very rare or hardly accessible," said lead author Dr Martin Stegner, from the University of Rostock in Germany. Specifically, his colleagues retrieved the specimens from the coast of Bermuda, from Table Mountain in South Africa, and from Monte Argentario in Italy.READ MORE-http:///news/science-environment-31988721