A newt that resembles a Klingon from "Star Trek" and a snake with iridescent rainbow scales that calls to mind David Bowie's colorful extraterrestrial alter ego Ziggy Stardust are two of 163 new species recently discovered in Southeast Asia.
Amphibians, reptiles, plants and mammals that were previously unknown to science were found during expeditions to some of the most remote areas in the Greater Mekong — a region that encompasses Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar — where researchers explored dense jungles, caves, rivers and forest canopies.
The new species — which also included a spiky lizard, an orange-eyed frog and a flower with "mouse ear" petals — were all described in 2015. They represent the latest discoveries from a location that is well-known for its biodiversity, with 2,409 new species from the Greater Mekong described since 1997, according to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF). [In Photos: Bizarre New Species Discoveries Include 'Klingon Newt']-read more
No comments:
Post a Comment