Latest news with #AustralianJournalofTaxonomy
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
‘Hidden dragon' detected in remote region of Australia for first time in decades
There had not been a confirmed sighting of Ctenophorus aurita, an elusive lizard named the 'hidden dragon,' in decades. Before 2011, only four had ever been seen. Now, thanks to tissue samples from suspected sightings, researchers have confirmed the presence of the 'extremely rare' lizard in one of the world's most remote regions in Australia, according to a June 3 study published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy. More than 60 individuals were were observed or photographed throughout northwestern Australia's Kimberley region between 2011 and 2023, and their confirmed presence in the new locations more than triples the species' known range, according to researchers. The small hidden dragon, about an inch and a half long, is a master of disguise and utilizes a defense tactic called pebble mimicry, the study said. 'Several individuals were observed running a short distance before crouching and pulling their limbs into their body to expertly mimic a pebble,' researchers said. Because it 'easily eludes detection,' researchers said it is unlikely that the species is 'genuinely rare.' The species is described as having a small, rotund body with a rough texture, a short tail and a small, 'extremely blunt' head. The hidden dragon was first discovered in 1979 when two individuals were found in Wolf Creek Meteor Crater, or Kandimalal, in the eastern Kimberley, according to the study. Five months later, a third specimen was found about 50 miles north. The fourth and final specimen before the species' long hiatus from scientific record was in 1984, about 250 miles northeast from the other three localities, according to the study. Researchers said the hidden dragon is likely not at risk of extinction given it inhabits common ecosystems, such as rocky areas, across a range of about 19,000 square miles of very remote territory. The discovery provides 'significant insight into the distribution and ecology' of the species, and the evolution of Australian dragon lizards more broadly, according to the study. The research team included Melissa Bruton, Jane Melville, Joanna Sumner, Joe Porter, Stephen Mahony and Paul Doughty.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Deep-sea creature with ‘massive eyes' discovered in canyon. It's a new species
Thousands of feet below the surface of the Indian Ocean, a reddish sea creature with 'massive eyes' used its 'long' arms to move through the water. Something approached the deep-sea animals, caught it and pulled it toward the surface. Aboard a research vessel, scientists looked at their catch. It turned out to be a new species. Researchers set out on the RV Investigator for a monthlong expedition in late 2022 to survey the seabed and document the deep sea biodiversity off the western coast of Australia, according to Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the organization that led the project. During the trip, researchers collected five unfamiliar-looking octopuses and later showed them to Tristan Verhoeff, a marine biologist, according to a study published May 12 in the peer-reviewed Australian Journal of Taxonomy. Verhoeff took a closer look at the octopuses, compared them with known species and soon realized they'd discovered a new species: Opisthoteuthis carnarvonensis, or the Carnarvon flapjack octopus. Carnarvon flapjack octopuses can reach about 7.5 inches in length but shrink after being preserved, the study said. They are 'gelatinous' with a 'dome-like' body and eight 'thick, relatively long' arms with dozens of suckers. Their heads have 'very large' eyes and 'small' fins. Photos show the new species and its 'dark brown-red' coloring. Some pale 'unpigmented' spots dot its body, the study said. Much about the lifestyle of Carnarvon flapjack octopuses remains unknown. The octopuses likely live near the seafloor and were found in an underwater canyon at depths of about 3,400 to 5,000 feet, the study said. A 2022 news release from CSIRO shows the research vessel that collected the new species. Verhoeff named the new species after the Carnarvon Canyon Marine Park where it was first discovered. So far, Carnarvon flapjack octopuses have only been found in a small region off the northwestern coast of Australia, the study said. The new species was identified by its internal anatomy, reproductive system, arm suckers and other subtle physical features, Verhoeff said. The study did not include a DNA analysis of the new species. 'The waters around Australia and New Zealand, and the Pacific Ocean more broadly, host a high diversity of flapjack octopods, though this diversity remained largely undocumented until recently,' Verhoeff said.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Mysterious' new Aussie spider discovered inside 'strange' burrow near outback creek
Deep in outback Australia, a group of scientists has discovered a mysterious new type of spider. Only 12 species of Kwonkan spider have been officially described and little is known about why each type fashions itself a unique and "strange-looking" burrow. The new spider, named Kwonkan nemoralis, was found during an expedition to Western Australia's remote Kimberley region. Arachnologist Dr Jeremy Wilson didn't find it in the dry grassy savannahs the region is known for, but deep down in a gorge that shelters lush rainforest. 'These wetter patches of forest are only small, and they're usually in areas that are sheltered by the gorge. When you go into them it's an entirely different environment. It's wet, and there's a whole different series of plants,' he said. 'We were walking along a little creek line and it was in its sandy banks that we started seeing these small, circular burrows.' The burrow built by Kwonkan nemoralis was encircled by grains of sand held together with silk, and it was unlike anything Wilson had seen. The moment the burrow's rim is disturbed it collapses and closes over the burrow, and the sand blends in with the rest of the landscape making the entrance virtually invisible. 'Kwonkan are an understudied and mysterious group of spiders… One of the questions we often ask ourselves is why they build these strange trapdoors and modified entrances,' Wilson said. Related: Millions amazed by man's 'special' encounter with spider One hypothesis about the spider burrows is that they act as a tool to avoid predation while simultaneously helping them access food. 'If they begin to specialise on a certain prey type it could lead them to build a burrow that opens at a particular region. Some of them might go up the side of trees if it gives them access to a certain type of prey that's moving along the bark,' Wilson said. Many of the homes created by Kwonkan species are surrounded by collars of pebbles, but others have large turrets that stretch up into spinifex grass. The purpose-built structures are likely useful at keeping the spiders dry during flood events, which can happen suddenly in arid areas. ☠️ Anger as Anthony Albanese accused of signing endangered species' 'death warrant' 🌳 Simple solution to protect migrating Aussie bird as numbers plummet 🐨 Koala wearing mysterious devices on busy road sparks concern Kwonkan nemoralis is around the size of a 20-cent coin, but little is known of its behaviour. In general the female spiders spend their lives inside burrows and are rarely seen, while males disperse when they reach adulthood in search of a mate, and then die after breeding is complete. Specimens of Kwonkan nemoralis was collected during an expedition in 2022. It was one of two new species described by the team led by Wilson, who is a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of Western Australia and a research associate of the Western Australian Museum. The results were published in the Australian Journal of Taxonomy this month. The other was Kwonkan fluctellus which was described using specimens held by the Western Australian Museum. Wilson has revealed that details of more spiders in the genus will soon be announced. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Miami Herald
30-01-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Colorful creature found ‘basking' in sun on uninhabited island. It's a new species
On an uninhabited island off the coast of Australia, a 'smooth' rainforest creature sat in a patch of sunlight. But the 'basking' animal wouldn't be left in peace. A visiting scientist spotted it – and discovered a new species. Conrad Hoskin arrived on Scawfell Island, a rugged island off the country's northeastern coast, in 2021, he wrote in a study published Jan. 27 in the peer-reviewed Australian Journal of Taxonomy. He landed with a goal in mind. 'I went to that island in the hopes of finding some interesting reptile species,' Hoskin told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in a 2023 interview about the trip. During his visit, Hoskin searched the island's rainforests and noticed some unfamiliar-looking lizards, the study said. Intrigued, he caught a few and took them back to the mainland. When he compared the lizards to examples of known species, nothing matched. Hoskin soon realized he'd discovered a new species: Lampropholis isla, or the Scawfell Island sun skink. Scawfell Island sun skinks can reach about 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'robust' bodies with 'almost no narrowing at (the) neck.' Their lower eyelids have a 'transparent' window-like disc. Some adult skinks had 'regrown' tails. Males and females of the new species vary in coloring, Hoskin said and photos show. Male Scawfell Island sun skinks have 'light brown' bodies with 'bright orange' patches on their sides. Female skinks also have brown bodies but no colorful patches, the study said and a photo shows. Hoskin found Scawfell Island sun skinks in rainforest areas with 'granite rocks,' such as several leaf-filled 'gullies.' He also saw the lizards 'basking in sun gaps on the forest floor' and searching for food. The new species's scientific name is the Spanish word 'isla,' meaning 'island,' after its native environment, the study said. So far, the new species has only been found on Scawfell Island. Hoskin searched nearby islands for the lizard but did not find it. Scawfell Island is about 30 miles from Mackay, the closest mainland city, and is 'protected within' a national park, the study said. Previously, Hoskin also discovered a new species of gecko, which he described as a 'little dragon,' on Scawfell Island. 'The presence of two vertebrate endemics (native lizards) on Scawfell Island is exceptional' and 'highlights the conservation significance of this island,' he wrote. The new species of skink was identified by its DNA, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said.
