Tongtianlong limosus,-Unknown dinosaur almost blown to oblivion

A newly discovered species of dinosaur has been identified from an extraordinarily complete Chinese fossil almost destroyed by dynamite.

It was preserved raising its beaked head, with feathered wings outstretched in the mud it was mired in when it died 72 million years ago.

The new creature has been named Tongtianlong limosus, "muddy dragon on the road to heaven".

The discovery is published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.

"It was found at a construction site by workmen when they were dynamiting, so they nearly blasted this thing off the hillside," said University of Edinburgh palaeontologist Dr Stephen Brusatte.

"We almost never knew about this dinosaur."read more

UK red squirrels carry 'a form of leprosy' - scientists

British red squirrels are infected with two different strains of the bacterium that causes leprosy, according to a study.

Leprosy was thought to have died out in the UK in medieval times, but these recent discoveries confirm that red squirrels carry the disease.

Despite this, researchers are keen to stress that the squirrel infection poses little, if any, threat to humans.

The research is published in the journal, Science.

In 2014 scientists studying red squirrel populations in Scotland noticed that some of the animals had abnormal growths on their ears, snout and limbs.

"We found that they were suffering from a form of leprosy," Prof Anna Meredith from the University of Edinburgh told the BBC's Science in Action.

The red squirrel is an endangered species found across Eurasia.

UK populations are especially under threat due to habitat loss, as well as through direct competition and the deadly effects of squirrel poxvirus following the -read more

43 New Species Of Scaffold Web Spider Discovered In Asia

A study into spider individuals collected from across Asia over the past 15 years has revealed 43 scaffold web spiders (Nesticidae) that have stayed hidden from science until now. The new species were described in a paper in ZooKeys. The studied family of scaffold web spiders is a relatively small group of arachnids, which can be found at almost any locality, apart from Siberia, Central Asia, Northern and Southern Africa and places at high latitude. Prior to the study by researchers from Sichuan University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the species numbered 245 in total, 12 of which are extinct and known from fossils only. A curious peculiarity in these spiders is their comb of serrated bristles, located on their rear legs, used to pull silk bands for their webs. Drs. Lin Yucheng, Francesco Ballarin and Li Shuqiang carried out morphological and molecular studies to discover remarkable diversity of scaffold web spiders from across China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Madagascar, increasing the number of scaffold web spider species known by man by about twenty percent. The researchers have also established a new genus (Speleoticus) for five previously known but misplaced species, which spend a lot of their time taking shelter in caves. The majority of scaffold web spiders in temperate climates tend to be medium-sized, long-legged, and prefer cave-like environments. The species found in the tropical and subtropical areas are, on the other hand, usually smaller, with shorter legs, and can be quite often spotted outside, where they crawl in forest litter, on grass, and under stones. Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine at: http://www.asianscientist.com/2016/11/in-the-lab/scaffold-web-spider-asia/

Is there a new human species waiting to be discovered?

It may be time to add more branches to the human family tree. Researchers have come up with a estimation tool to determine the traits we have in common with early humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans, and how our histories crossed paths.

In the process of comparing these ancient populations from 50,000 to 70,000 years ago against modern ones, the researchers encountered an intriguing question mark. When looking at the process of admixture, the transfer of genes from one isolated population to another, they realized that ancient human history might be more complex than previously thought.

When applied to the modern populations of Europe and East Asia, the model works reasonably well. But within the modern population of Pacific Islanders living in Melanesia -- which includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands -- the model suggests that something is missing in the equation.read more and see video

Neanderthal extinction may be due to diseases from Africa

Cruise tourist finds new species of ant in Cayman

When James Wetterer docked in the Cayman Islands during his Caribbean cruise holiday in April he set off to see the sights, but he did not head to Seven Mile Beach or Stingray City. Instead, the professor at Florida’s Atlantic University headed for the nearest patch of red mangroves to continue his research, where he stumbled upon a unique species of ant that has never been identified before.

Wetterer tells the story of his discovery in this month’s edition of Flicker, the bi-monthly magazine produced by the Terrestrial Research Unit of the Department of Environment (DoE).

Wetterer had been working on the insects living in the dead hollow twigs in mangrove areas of Florida and had discovered that rare ant species were often found in red mangroves because of their unique habitat, often completely isolated by water from dry land. During his Cayman visit he collected a few specimens from the mangroves he managed to find around the Camana Bay area, and when he cut open the twigs he found an ant he had never seen before.read more

World's smallest snake discovered

This exclusive clip reveals for the first time the world’s smallest known snake as it tucks in to a meal of young ants. Although not yet formally described, this new snake (Tetracheilostoma sp. nov.) is part of the thread snake family. It is thought to be even smaller than the Barbados threadsnake, its close cousin and the previous holder of the "world's smallest snake" title.

This diminutive serpent is just 10cm long and as slim as a strand of spaghetti. In fact, it is so small that it could slither through a pencil if the lead was removed. It is believed that this thread snake is only found on the island of Martinique, a relatively close neighbouring island to Barbados in the Lesser Antilles.read more and see video

'Flasher' frog found hidden in Australian swamp

A rare species of frog which startles predators by flashing its bright orange groin has been discovered in swampland on Australia's east coast.

Not much bigger than a human fingertip, Mahony's Toadlet has a distinctive marbled underbelly.

The species was discovered by accident not far from the airport at Newcastle, 160km (100 miles) north of Sydney.

The tiny amphibian has been named after Professor Michael Mahony, a renowned frog expert and conservationist.read more and see video