Latest news with #Neotropical
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Two new crocodile species discovered in Caribbean – but they are already facing extinction
The discovery, reported in a new study published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, sheds further light on the true diversity of American crocodiles and underscores the need for urgent conservation efforts to protect them. "Biodiversity is disappearing faster than we can discover what we are losing," Hans Larsson, a co-author of the study from Canada's McGill University, said. "Most species of crocodiles are already endangered, and rapid shoreline development threatens nearly every population.' The Americas are home to four species of Neotropical crocodiles of the genus Crocodylus. These species live in the warm, tropical regions of the continents, inhabiting coastal, inland and insular locations. They are a distinct group which evolved from ancestors that dispersed from Africa to the Americas around 5 million years ago. However, much of the evolutionary history of Neotropical crocodiles remains elusive. In the new study, researchers assessed the genetic sequences of crocodile populations from the Mexican island of Cozumel and the Banco Chinchorro atoll reef and compared these to crocodiles found across the Caribbean, Central America and on Mexico's Pacific coast. They found striking genetic differences in the sampled populations, leading them to conclude that the reptiles from Cozumel and Banco Chinchorro were not simply variants of the American crocodile Crocodylus acutus, but different species. The two new species also showed physical differences between themselves. 'The main differences between the populations are length and width of the skull,' the study noted. Banco Chinchorro crocodiles were characterised by a relatively long and broad snout compared to those on Cozumel. 'Our analysis supports Banco Chinchorro and Cozumel as genetically unique isolated populations,' researchers wrote, calling the results 'totally unexpected'. "We assumed Crocodylus acutus was a single species ranging from Baja California to Venezuela and across the Caribbean. Our study is the first to extensively explore genomic and anatomical variation in these animals,' said José Avila-Cervantes, another author of the study. The newly identified species were found to live in isolated populations of fewer than 1,000 breeding individuals, sparking concerns about their future. 'Estimated effective population sizes are only in the order of five hundred individuals in each population,' the study noted. Although their populations appeared stable, researchers warned that limited numbers and habitat restrictions left them vulnerable. "The rapid loss of biodiversity can only be slowed if we know what species are most at risk," Dr Larsson said. "Now that we recognise these crocodiles as distinct species, it's crucial to protect their habitats. Limiting land development and implementing careful conservation strategies on Cozumel and Banco Chinchorro will be key to ensuring their survival.'
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Cloud Forest Reserve Created In Ecuador To Conserve Endangered Parrot
A cloud forest reserve was recently created in the Andes of southern Ecuador to help conserve the range-restricted Endangered Red-faced Parrot by improving its habitat connectivity. Parrots have the largest number of threatened species of all bird families in the world: Almost one-third of all parrot species are under threat of extinction. The Red-faced Parrot, Hapalopsittaca pyrrhops, is a vanishingly rare species that dwells in the montane cloud forests of the high Andes in southern Ecuador and adjoining parts of northern Peru. Thanks to deforestation, mostly for grazing and agriculture, this parrot's population is rapidly decreasing. In 2023, there was estimated to be between 1200 and 1600 individuals alive worldwide, so the species was formally classified as Endangered by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Most people – even the most avid birders and aviculturists – have never seen nor even heard about these Neotropical parrots, and to the best of my knowledge, they are not kept in any zoo collections. Red-faced Parrots are quite small, roughly 22 cm (8.5 inches) long. They are mostly emerald green in color but they have a beautiful royal blue tail that is relatively short and sharply pointed, royal blue primaries, reddish-orange shoulders, forehead, face and throat, with lemon-yellow streaks on their ear coverts. (If I was in charge of such things, I'd name this lovely bird the flame-faced parrot.) These parrots usually are seen in pairs or small flocks that fly rapidly over the forest and then disappear quickly into the canopy, where they can be very hard to see whilst they forage for fruits behind foliage. To protect the dwindling population of these parrots, a new nature reserve in Selva Alegre, Ecuador was created by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and its partners, the Rainforest Trust and the Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco, specifically to help conserve this rare parrot's habitat. This nature reserve comprises 518 acres (210 hectares), with a total of 1,388 acres (500 hectares) being the ultimate goal. The nature reserve was named the 'Ridgely Reserve' in honor of the world-renowned neotropical ornithologist and conservation biologist Robert Ridgely. Dr Ridgely has long advocated for the establishment of private nature reserves as a species conservation strategy. With this idea in mind, Dr Ridgely helped set up the Fundación Jocotoco in 1998 to preserve the bamboo and wet montane forests on the slopes of Cerro Tapichalaca in the eastern Andes – specifically to conserve the Jocotoco Antpitta, Grallaria ridgelyi, a bird species that Dr Ridgely discovered in 1997. 'Rainforest Trust board member and ex-President Bob Ridgely has committed his life to conserving Ecuador's rich biodiversity, especially birds, and it is so fitting that his name will grace the newest reserve established and managed by the Ecuadorian NGO he founded, Jocotoco Foundation,' said zoologist James Deutsch, CEO of the Rainforest Trust. "The Rainforest Trust is honored to support this initiative.' 'Bob Ridgely and all the other founders of Jocotoco have created a remarkable legacy by establishing our reserves, founding the Jocotoco Foundation, and expanding our protected areas across Ecuador,' elaborated conservation biologist Martin Schaefer, CEO of Jocotoco. 'Today, we can see how that legacy has flourished, with the Ridgely Reserve in southern Ecuador serving as a prime example. This new sanctuary in Selva Alegre, home to the world's largest known population of the Endangered Red-faced Parrot, shows our commitment to safeguarding Ecuador's incredible biodiversity. The reserve plays a key role in ensuring that our conservation legacy continues to thrive, inspiring future generations of conservationists.' The Ridgely Nature Reserve is located in the Chilla Mountain Range near Saraguro in southern Ecuador. It comprises a stunted forest of tough and gnarly Andean Polylepis trees and shrubs that grow at elevations of 5,000 meters, making them the highest altitude trees in the world. These high altitude forests gradually transition into Northern Andean Páramo habitat, which are wet grasslands located above the tree line and below the snow line within the equatorial Andes. The páramo is home to the greatest biodiversity of high elevation open vegetation types in the world interspersed with pines, along with eucalyptus plantations, and agricultural and livestock areas in the lower valleys. Tragically, human driven deforestation has increased dramatically in this ecosystem in southern Ecuador during the past 28 years to support local grazing and agriculture activities. Currently, these activities cover 46% of the total area of Selva Alegre and contribute to the growing pressures on biodiversity and valuable (and vanishing) ecosystems. 'The Red-faced Parrot is a very rare Neotropical species whose habitat is restricted to montane cloud forests of southern Ecuador and adjacent northern Peru,' reported ecologist Marcelo Tognelli, the International Project Officer at ABC. 'Unfortunately, deforestation and habitat loss have been contributing to its rapid decline. The creation of the Ridgely Reserve in southern Ecuador will help ensure this endangered species thrives by improving habitat connectivity, while also providing a healthier environment for local communities.' This new reserve serves as a bright promise that will not only help wildlife but will also benefit local communities such as the Guambuzari community that Jocotoco collaborates with. Guambuzari land connects with several of Jocotoco's reserves, so the goal is to create a corridor for habitat connectivity to aid wildlife movement and to establish effective regional protection in this area. This will generate numerous environmental benefits for the Guambuzari as well as for the residents in the city of Saraguro, and in surrounding areas – clean water for human consumption, reduction of landslides, preservation of the area's unique ecosystems, and – potentially – generate local economic benefits from ecotourism. Ecuador as a country is almost as big as the US state of Colorado, but it is a global biodiversity hotspot that is home to nearly 1,600 bird species. In contrast, the entire continental USA hosts about 800 regularly observed species. Although this area in Ecuador has not been fully explored, more than 90 bird species have already been recorded there. The star attraction of the reserve – Red-faced Parrots – have been consistently recorded there since the mid-1990s, making it the best-known location for this very rare species. This concentration of biodiversity highlights the importance of protecting Ecuador's habitats and the species that depend on them. Creating nature reserves has been a badge of honor for ABC since its founding 30 years ago. Together with its partners and local communities, ABC has protected over 1.1 million acres of land in more than 100 nature reserves spread across 15 countries, benefiting 3,000 bird species to date – roughly 30% of the world's total. Partner Jocotoco has become a leader in conservation and nature-based tourism and has helped set the standard for international bird conservation. Jocotoco has collaborated with the Rainforest Trust on 14 conservation projects covering 63,914 acres, with an additional 3,726 acres in progress. The Ridgely Reserve is part of the larger Conserva Aves initiative, led by ABC, National Audubon Society, BirdLife International, Birds Canada, and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), and supported by the Bezos Earth Fund. The initiative aims to foster climate resilience and sustainable development. Answers to my questions, related materials and photographs courtesy of Agatha Szczepaniak, a media relations specialist with the American Bird Conservancy. © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | Gab | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tribel | Tumblr | Twitter
Miami Herald
04-03-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Toothless ‘electric' creature found in shallow river in Brazil. It's a new species
In a shallow stream of northern Brazil, a toothless 'electric' creature weaved its way through the tangled roots and dead leaves of the riverbed. Its 'large' eyes scanned its surroundings, but it wasn't the only one searching. Passing scientists noticed the lurking animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers spent over 20 years visiting dozens of rivers, streams and flooded plains of northern Brazil. Their goal? Document the region's fish diversity, according to a study published Feb. 28 in the peer-reviewed journal Acta Amzonica. During their surveys, researchers found some 'weakly electric' fish with 'small' snouts, the study said. At first glance, the fish looked like another known species, but when researchers looked closer, they noticed some subtle but consistent differences. The team had discovered a new species: Microsternarchus javieri, or Javier's electric knifefish. Javier's electric knifefish are considered 'small,' reaching just over 4 inches in length, the study said. They have scaly, 'elongated' bodies ending in a thin, string-like tail. Their jaws 'lack teeth,' and their eyes are 'large.' Photos show the yellow-brown hue and unusual body shape of the new species. Some fish had 'lighter and more translucent' bellies, revealing their internal organs, researchers said. As their name suggests, Javier's electric knifefish have an 'electric organ' that emits 'electric discharges,' the study said. These charges vary between male and female fish and, during breeding season, can be clearly differentiated from the discharges of another common electric fish species. 'Such differences in (electric organ discharges) can be important in species recognition and in signaling sexual identity, sexual maturity, and motivational state,' the study said. Researchers could only identify these differences 'after laboratory analyses' and don't know how — or even if — electric fish themselves can identify different signals 'in the wild.' Javier's electric knifefish live in shallow rivers and streams 'with slow currents' and 'a great abundance of dead leaves, abundant roots, leaf litter, vegetation cover, and tangled roots,' the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after the late scientist Javier Maldonado Ocampo because his 'research on gymnotiforms (the fish group which includes the new species), systematics, and conservation greatly contributed to our understanding of the Neotropical ichthyofauna.' So far, Javier's electric knifefish have been found at dozens of sites in the neighboring states of Roraima and Amazonas in northern Brazil, the study said. These states border Colombia, Guyana, Peru and Venezuela. The new species was identified by its size, skeleton, fin shape, eyes and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 12% genetic divergence from other related fish species. The research team included Carolina Escamilla Pinilla, Cristina Cox Fernandes and José Antônio Alves-Gomes.
Miami Herald
21-02-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Odd-colored creature seen falling from tree turns out to be first-of-its-kind sighting
In a rainforest of central Belize, a wildlife ranger saw an oddly colored animal fall out of a tree. The fleeting glimpse sparked a larger search project — and revealed a first-of-its-kind sighting. Mark Faux, a field technician, visited Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society research station in March 2023 for a trail-cleaning project. While there, he saw a 'small group' of bats 'falling to the ground' when their roost 'was cut,' according to a study published Feb. 13 in the peer-reviewed journal Neotropical Biology and Conservation. One of the bats looked 'completely white,' an unusual color for the animal, so Faux reported the sighting to wildlife rangers at the station. Intrigued, the rangers decided to track down the oddly colored animal and, later that year, they succeeded, the study said. The team found a colony of Thyroptera tricolor, or Spix's disc-winged bats, with a 'leucistic adult male,' the study said. A photo shows the white bat inside its typical roost, a specific type of 'rolled' up leaf. Spix's disc-winged bats normally have 'dark brown fur' with some 'reddish brown' patches and a lighter underside, but this bat had 'uniform white' fur, researchers said. 'Although chromatic (color) disorders are widely reported in the animal kingdom, few reports of true leucism have been published in Neotropical bats,' the study said. 'Our observations represent the first documented case of leucism in Spix's disc-winged bat or any chromatic disorder in the Thyropteridae (disc-winged bat) family.' Leucism is often confused with albinism. Albino animals lack pigment in their fur and have eyes which 'appear red,' the study said. Leucistic animals also lack pigment in their fur, but their 'eyes retain their normal color.' Later, in April 2024, rangers documented another sighting of a male Spix's disc-winged bat with leucism. Researchers suspect all three sightings are 'the same individual moving between' roosting locations but don't know for sure. A close-up photo shows the pale Spix's disc-winged bat, which has 'adhesive discs' for hands and feet. The bat was fully grown and part of a close-knit colony, indicating its odd coloring had 'potentially little effect' on its survival and socialization, the study said. Spix's disc-winged bats are considered vulnerable in Belize 'due to its restricted distribution and specific roosting requirements,' researchers said. Their main threats include 'climate change and localized commercial harvesting of Heliconia leaves (their preferred roost) for tamales.' Belize is a coastal country in Central America, bordering Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the south and west. The research team included Vanessa Martin, Vanessa Kilburn, Mathieu Charette and Bruce Miller.
