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‘Miniature' creature seen running ‘quickly' on Angola plain. It's a new species
‘Miniature' creature seen running ‘quickly' on Angola plain. It's a new species

Miami Herald

time5 days ago

  • Science
  • Miami Herald

‘Miniature' creature seen running ‘quickly' on Angola plain. It's a new species

On a gravel plain of southwestern Africa, a 'miniature' creature moved 'quickly' along the loose stones searching for a hiding place. Something about it caught the attention of nearby scientists — and for good reason. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent seven years doing 'extensive' wildlife surveys of 'the less explored coastal regions of southern Angola,' according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Their fieldwork focused on a group of 'unique' but 'poorly understood' lizards known as Namib day geckos. During some of their searches, researchers found several unfamiliar-looking patterned geckos, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus minimus, or the miniature Namib day gecko. Miniature Namib day geckos are considered 'small-sized,' reaching about 3 inches in length, the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for ''smallest' or 'very small'' because of its size. A photo shows the tannish-gray coloring of the new species. Its pattern is a mixture of 'soft orange-rust' markings and black and cream blotches. Its belly is 'whitish to cream' with 'darker' fingertips and toes. Miniature Namib day geckos are 'primarily associated with gravel and sand plains' and were found 'in more open areas, where (they move) quickly between small rocks and loose flakes on the ground, using them for shelter,' the study said. Much about the lifestyle and behavior of the new species remains unknown. So far, the new species has only been found in 'the coastal regions of Namibe Province,' a region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia, the study said. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its scale pattern, coloring, size and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 8% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the large-spotted Namib day gecko and the cryptic Namib day gecko.

‘Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a ‘cryptic' new species
‘Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a ‘cryptic' new species

Miami Herald

time04-07-2025

  • Science
  • Miami Herald

‘Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a ‘cryptic' new species

In a savanna of southwestern Africa, a 'large' creature climbed along some boulders. Its remote home and camouflaged coloring helped it go largely unnoticed — until it caught the attention of visiting scientists. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent several years doing 'extensive' wildlife surveys 'in some of the less explored coastal regions of southern Angola,' according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Some of their searches focused on a 'poorly understood' group of lizards known as Namib day geckos. Between 2020 and 2025, researchers found a dozen 'large' camouflaged geckos that didn't look like any known species, the study said. Intrigued, scientists took a closer look at the lizards, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus crypticus, or the cryptic Namib day gecko. Cryptic Namib day geckos are considered 'large sized,' reaching just under 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'elongated' fingers and toes. Photos show the tan-gray coloring of the new species. Its back has orange and gray markings with a scattering of darker brown blotches. Researchers named the new species after the Latin word for ''hidden' or 'concealed'' because of its 'cryptic or camouflaged nature.' Cryptic Namib day geckos are rock-dwelling lizards 'found moving among vertical surfaces of large boulders in the spiny arid savanna,' the study said. Much about their lifestyle and behavior remains unknown. Researchers suspect the new species lives in 'high isolation' because its preferred habitat is 'quite rare in the area.' So far, cryptic Namib day geckos have been found in a 'very restricted area' of Namibe Province, a coastal region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 16% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the large-spotted Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.

‘Large' creature seen running ‘rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species
‘Large' creature seen running ‘rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species

Miami Herald

time03-07-2025

  • Science
  • Miami Herald

‘Large' creature seen running ‘rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species

In a remote region of southwestern Africa, a 'large' patterned creature perched on some rocks until something spooked it. It ran 'rapidly to escape' but couldn't avoid the attention of nearby scientists — and for good reason. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent eight years doing 'extensive' surveys of 'the less explored coastal regions' of southwestern Angola in search of reptiles, according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. The surveys focused on a 'still poorly understood' group of lizards known as Namib day geckos. Sure enough, between 2017 and 2025, researchers found roughly a dozen 'large' and unfamiliar-looking geckos, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus megocellus, or the large-spotted Namib day gecko. Large-spotted Namib day geckos are considered 'large sized,' reaching about 3.5 inches in length, the study said. They have 'raised' scales around their nostrils forming an 'inflated nostril rim' and 'elongated' fingers and toes. Photos show the tan-brown geckos and their spotted pattern. Some of the blotches 'on the neck may be in contact, giving a collar-like appearance,' the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after the ancient Greek word for 'large' and a Latin word meaning 'eye spot' because of its 'distinctive large' markings. Large-spotted Namib day geckos are 'strictly rock-dwelling, always found on large, flattened granitic boulders, where (they) can run rapidly to escape,' the study said. The geckos were 'frequently found hiding under' rock flakes. So far, large-spotted Namib day geckos have been found at several sites in Namibe Province, a coastal region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, coloring and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 13% genetic divergence from other related geckos. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the cryptic Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.

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