From biting fruit flies and a tiny long-nosed mouse opossum to a feathered dinosaur preserved with proof of its remaining meal, scientists on the American Museum of Pure Historical past recognized greater than 70 species new to science this yr. These discoveries cowl an astonishing sweep of life on Earth, together with dinosaurs, mammals, fishes, reptiles, bugs, arachnids, marine invertebrates, and even a mineral by no means documented earlier than. Collectively, they replicate the Museum’s ongoing position on the forefront of worldwide biodiversity analysis.
New Finds and Previous Collections Yield Breakthroughs
Not all the newly described species have been present in latest expeditions. Some have been uncovered throughout fashionable fieldwork in distant areas, whereas others got here to gentle after researchers reexamined specimens that had been saved in Museum collections for many years. Advances in know-how and contemporary scientific views made it doable to acknowledge species that had lengthy gone unnoticed.
“Collectively, these discoveries spotlight the exceptional richness of Earth’s biodiversity and underscore the enduring worth of pure historical past collections,” mentioned the Museum’s Senior Vice President and Provost of Science Cheryl Hayashi. “Specimens preserved throughout generations proceed to disclose new insights, reminding us how a lot there’s nonetheless to study life on our planet.”
Highlights From the Newly Described Species
Among the many newly described species are:
- A brand new genus and species of sea anemone, Endolobactis simoesii, that has frond-like projections positioned on its lobes. The invention outcomes from an effort to enhance scientists’ understanding of the variety of sea anemones of the Atlantic facet of Mexico and brings the variety of documented species on this area to 24. (Zootaxa)
- Two species of fruit flies whose mouthparts are modified right into a pair of laborious “jaws” within the males. A unprecedented characteristic amongst flies, these constructions are possible used for greedy the feminine throughout courtship. Each species are identified from single specimens collected from the Philippines within the Thirties however only recently studied. (Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington)
- A Jurassic reptile with python-like hooked tooth and a physique just like a gecko’s that has hyperlinks to the origins of lizards and snakes. The brand new species, Breugnathair elgolensis, was found in Scotland’s Isle of Skye by a world crew of researchers and is among the oldest comparatively full fossil lizards but found. (Nature)
- A brand new species of mineral, known as Lucasite-(La), which was found inside a volcanic rock in Russia. The mineral was formally authorized by the Worldwide Mineralogical Affiliation this yr, and the sort materials is now a part of the Museum’s everlasting assortment. (European Journal of Mineralogy)
- A small species of mouse opossum with an exceptionally lengthy nostril and tail (Marmosa chachapoya). The mouse opossum was present in Parque Nacional Rio Abiseo in a distant a part of the Peruvian Andes previously occupied by folks of the pre-Columbian Chachapoya tradition, for which the species is called. Few species of mouse opossums have been collected at such a excessive elevation. (American Museum Novitates)
- A squirrel-sized animal that lived within the early Jurassic in what’s now China between about 174 and 201 million years in the past, Camurocondylus lufengensis. In a examine led by researchers on the Museum and on the Chinese language Academy of Sciences, C. lufengensis was detailed together with a second species found within the Eighties, discovering that the evolution of the trendy mammal jaw is extra complicated than beforehand thought. (Nature)
- A brand new genus and species of a crinoid, an historical group of marine animals nonetheless alive right now — generally known as sea lilies — which are associated to starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers. Found on the Natiscotec River on Anticosti Island, Quebec, the brand new fossil species, Anticosticrinus natiscotecensis, has a novel sample of plates on the primary construction of its physique. (Journal of Paleontology)
- A fish from northwestern Madagascar that was found greater than 20 years in the past when the lead scientist was a graduate pupil. The brand new species, a cichlid that was named Paretroplus risengi, is distinguished by distinctive breeding coloration amongst different options. (Deep Blue Paperwork)
- Forty-seven species of fossil and fashionable bugs, primarily bees, together with a “teddy bear” bee species from Vietnam, Habropoda pierwolae (Raffles Bulletin of Zoology); a cuckoo bee with lengthy, sword-like spines on its again, Xiphodioxys haladai (American Museum Novitates); a digger bee from Chile, Anthophora brunneipecten, with a small comb on its face for combing up pollen from its host crops (Entomologist’s Month-to-month Journal); and a fossil bumble bee species from the crater lake of Enspel, Germany, nonetheless carrying pollen, Bombus messegus (New Phytologist)
- Two new species from the group of earliest feathered dinosaurs that lived about 125 million years in the past in what’s now China: one which was initially recognized as a primitive “chicken,” Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis, and was found greater than 10 years in the past; and the opposite, Huadanosaurus sinensis, which was discovered with two mammal skeletons in its stomach, the stays of its final meal. (Nationwide Science Overview)
- Two new species of suckermouth catfishes from rapids alongside the Congo River, Chiloglanis kinsuka and Chiloglanis wagenia. These sister species are each extremely tailored to the river and are separated by practically 1 mile of river (1600 kilometers). (American Museum Novitates)
- 4 species of small “sap” flies (household Aulacigastridae) in 17 million-year outdated amber from the Dominican Republic, captured when the tree resin was nonetheless mushy. These flies right now feed on the sap of wounded timber. The species reveal a shocking connection between the Caribbean and North America, since most such connections right now and previously are with Central and South America. (Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington)
- A suckermouthed minnow from the highlands of Vietnam that was collected and shelved 25 years in the past by Museum ichthyologists and solely just lately examined. That is the primary species of this genus found in Vietnam, and it was given the identify Supradiscus varidiscus. (American Museum Novitates)
- 4 completely different arachnids, together with a scorpion from Iran — Hemiscorpius jiroftensis — whose venom is of curiosity within the improvement of prescription drugs (Range); a large vinegaroon/whip scorpion from Mexico, Mastigoproctus spinifemoratus, found in collections borrowed from the California Academy of Sciences (Arthropoda); a short-tailed whip scorpion from the Venezuelan Amazon, Jipai longevus (Zootaxa); and a troglomorphic, cave-dwelling hooded tick-spider from Venezuela, Cryptocellus armasi (Zootaxa)
- A cryptic large-eyed fish from the Kouilou-Niari River within the Republic of the Congo that had lengthy been misidentified. The brand new species, Labeo niariensis, a sort of African fish generally known as Labeo, a sort of carp, is predicated on specimens collected between 2010 and 2013. (Journal of Fish Biology)
- A pollen wasp (Metaparagia cuttacutta) collected within the Northern Territory, Australia. It represents the tenth described species of this genus and was collected by the lead scientist whereas he was stranded in Australia for eight months through the COVID-19 pandemic. (Australian Entomologist)
