pests-rats,mice,cockroaches

Aenigmatinea glatzella,-New Moth Species Discovered in Australia a 'Living Dinosaur'

A new moth species, Aenigmatinea glatzella, recently discovered in Australia is what scientists are calling a "living dinosaur," because its prehistoric roots can provide insight into the evolution of these insects, according to new research.This gold-and-purple moth, with feathered wing tips, represents an entirely new family of primitive moths. It is the first time in over 40 years that a new type of primitive moth has been identified anywhere in the world. "Our fauna is so exciting we can still find new primitive species. Australia is so rich in moths that vast numbers still remain to be discovered," researcher Ted Edwards, from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), said in a statement. So far the new species, commonly called the enigma moth, has been strictly found on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, inhabiting the region's Southern Cypress-pine trees - ancient fauna going back to the supercontinent Gondwana. Perhaps once reason this 10-millimeter-long moth has remained elusive is because its days are numbered. In a single day, the adult emerges from its cocoon, mates, and then dies. But despite its small size and short-lived life, A. glatzella is making a huge impact. Based on a DNA analysis and simple observations of the moth's characteristics, the researchers realized that the evolution of moths and butterflies is even more complex than previously thought. "While the discovery of this new moth strengthens the evolutionary relationships between other primitive moth families, it also suggests that tongues evolved in moths and butterflies more than once," Edwards explained.-READ MORE-http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/13207/20150305/new-moth-species-discovered-in-australia-a-living-dinosaur.htm

New monkey species discovered in the Amazon rainforest

Scientists have discovered a new species of titi monkey in Brazil, according to a recent paper published in scientific journal Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia. Titis are new world monkeys found across South America. These tree-dwelling primates have long, soft fur and live in small family groups consisting of a monogamous pair and their offspring. Rather touchingly, they are often observed sitting or sleeping with their tails entwined. In 2011, researcher Julio César Dalponte spotted an unusual looking titi monkey on the east bank of the Roosevelt River, whose colouration did not match any known species. Intrigued, a team of scientists supported by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP – a partnership between three NGOs, including Fauna & Flora International) headed back into the field to collect the information needed to formally describe what they believed to be a new species. Over the course of a number of expeditions, the team recorded several groups of these unusual monkeys, whose ochre sideburns, bright orange tail and light grey forehead stripe set them apart from other known species in the genus. Based on these morphological differences, scientists were able to formally describe the monkey as a new species, which they have named Callicebus miltoni (or Milton's titi monkey) in honour of Dr Milton Thiago de Mello, a noted Brazilian primatologist who is credited with training many of the country's top primate experts-READ MORE-http://phys.org/news/2015-03-monkey-species-amazon-rainforest.html

New species of ant found in Northern Territory mine site

A new species of ant has been discovered in a rehabilitated section of a bauxite mine in the Northern Territory. Discovered by the CSIRO's Dr Ben Hoffman at Rio Tinto's mining lease near Nhulunbuy, the new ant has been named the Kohout's spiny ant and belongs to the Polyrhachis genus meaning "many spines". Dr Hoffman said there has been several new ant species found recently in the region, but the Kohout's spiny ant was one of the most interesting. Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek. 00:00 00:00 00:00 AUDIO: The CSIRO's Dr Ben Hoffman says there are thousands of native ant species yet to be identified. (ABC Rural) "It's got these enormous bull-like horned spines on the back of its body," he said. "It's particularly interesting, but to put it in perspective, we've put 98 new species into the ant collection here in Darwin this year alone. "We actually have no idea how many ant species there are out there because we keep on finding so many new ones." Dr Hoffman said he has already got an ant named after him, so he chose to name this ant after retired scientist Rudy Kohout, who published numerous papers on the genus Polyrhachis. "He [Rudy] dedicated many years to the taxonomy of this particular group of ants, so I thought this one was so interesting that it would be a real privilege to name one of these ants after him, and he graciously accepted that."LISTEN TO AUDIO LINK-http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-04/new-species-of-ant-found-in-northern-territory/6280512

Scientists produce TB-resistant cows

Scientists in China have produced a herd of genetically engineered cows that are better able to ward off bovine TB infection. The long-term goal of the research is to avoid the need to cull livestock by breeding disease resistant cattle. Bovine TB is a risk in many areas, including New Zealand, England and Wales, and parts of Africa and Asia. In the UK over 26,000 cattle were slaughtered in 2013 at a cost to taxpayers of £100m. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote Whether this approach protects cows against TB infection when exposed to high doses of the pathogen remains to be determined” Prof Heiner Niemann Institute of Farm Animal Genetics Researchers at the Ministry of Agriculture in Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China, used hi-tech genetic technology to insert a mouse gene into Holstein-Friesian cattle. The gene protected the animals against low levels of TB infection. In research published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists said: "Our results contribute to the control and prevention of bovine tuberculosis and provide a previously unidentified insight into breeding animals for disease resistance." Commenting on the study, Prof Heiner Niemann, of the Institute of Farm Animal Genetics at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Germany, said the findings were another step towards the creation of disease resistant livestock animals based on advanced genetic tools. "Whether this approach protects cows against TB infection when exposed to high doses of the pathogen remains to be determined," he -READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31709107

DNA reveals bird habitat shift surprise

A "dramatic" shift in behaviour and appearance obscured the identity of two birds on remote Indonesian islands. The forest-dwelling birds are members of the pipit and wagtail families, but were not recognised as such, partly because they live in very different habitats to their relatives. The madanga was considered to be a white-eye species, while the Sao Tome shorttail's affinities were uncertain. The findings appear in the Royal Society journal Open Science. DNA samples confirmed the their true identities, and it suggests that birds can change appearance in short periods of time. "This is surprising because these birds do not look anything like a pipit or wagtail," explained co-author Per Alstrom from the Swedish Species Information Centre, based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. He told BBC News that the birds also occurred in "completely different habitats". "The madanga (Madanga ruficollis) forages in trees. It probably spends its entire life in trees, moving along branches and tree trunks.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31714230

shy-kangaroos-are-more-sociable-than-bolder-ones

Making friends and acquaintances is not a random act for kangaroos, instead they actively choose who they mix with and how often. Female eastern grey kangaroos have been shown to spend time with some other females while avoiding others altogether. Kangaroos live in a fission-fusion society, characterised by frequent changes of group membership, with individuals moving between temporary feeding groups and switching groups many times a day. This gives an individual kangaroo the opportunity to decide who they are with at any time. Now scientists have found that personality traits such as boldness and shyness can determine how sociable a kangaroo is.READ MORE-http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150221-shy-kangaroos-are-more-sociable-than-bolder-ones