Latest news with #RosaVigara
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Deep-sea creatures and ‘accordion-like' animals: See latest new species
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses. Learn more about some recent new species discoveries: 'Large'-headed creature with spiny skin found on Nepal peak. It's a new species In the remote mountains of Nepal, researchers have identified a new species of frog known as the Khumbu Himal lazy toad, or Scutiger khumbu. This medium-sized toad, found in the Khumbu region, is distinguished by its large, flat head and spiny skin. The discovery highlights the rich amphibian diversity within the Himalayan cloud forests and suggests the possibility of 'even more undiscovered' species. | Published May 8 | Read More | Deep-sea creature with 'massive eyes' discovered in canyon. It's a new species A new species of octopus, the Carnarvon flapjack octopus, has been discovered in the depths of the Indian Ocean off the coast of Australia. This gelatinous creature, known for its massive eyes and long arms, was found during an expedition by the CSIRO. The octopus inhabits underwater canyons at depths of 3,400 to 5,000 feet. | Published May 13 | Read More | Divers catch 'accordion-like' creature off coast of Spain. It's a new species Off the coast of Galicia, Spain, divers have discovered a new species of ribbon worm named Pararosa vigarae, or the accordion worm. This unique marine worm can contract its body to one-fourth of its full size and is known for its venomous nature. The species was named in honor of the senior author's wife, Rosa Vigara. | Published May 7 | Read More | Clawed black-eyed creature found hiding under rock in Zambia. It's a new species In the woodlands of northeastern Zambia, scientists have uncovered a new species of lizard called Margarita's scrub lizard, or Nucras margaritae. This moderately sized lizard, with its large black eyes and clawed limbs, was discovered during an ant survey. The species was named in memory of a late colleague, Margarita Metallinou. | Published May 9 | Read More | Bone discovered in ancient layer of Cuban cave belonged to a new extinct species In the mountains of western Cuba, researchers have unearthed the bone of a new extinct species of duck, the Cuban teal, or Amazonetta cubensis. This discovery, made in El Abrón Cave, provides insight into the distribution of Amazonetta ducks during the Quaternary period. The Cuban teal is closely related to the Brazilian teal. | Published May 12 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery and sightings of the most unusual and intriguing species. Check back for the latest stories.
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Divers catch ‘accordion-like' creature off coast of Spain. It's a new species
World Divers catch 'accordion-like' creature off coast of Spain. It's a new species Off the coast of Spain, a long creature can contort its body into something much smaller. Hayffield L. via Unsplash Tucked under the stones and shells of the shallow waters off Spain, one creature has the ability to completely alter its size. Up to nearly 10 inches long, the animals have the ability to contract their bodies to one-fourth or one-fifth of their total size when disturbed. That animal is a ribbon worm — and a newly discovered species. Researchers found the marine worm off Galicia, Spain, during scuba diving trips in the summer of 2021, according to a study published May 7 in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Science. Pararosa vigarae, or the accordion worm, has a 'brown to dark green body' and a rounded head shape and is made from a series of muscular rings, according to the study. The new species can contort its body into a smaller area, earning its name as an accordion worm. Verdes, et al (2025) Royal Society Open Science The rings allow the animal to change shape, contracting to pull the body closer together, researchers said. 'The contraction is rapid and forms regular rings that give it an accordion-like appearance, which we have used to colloquially refer to the species,' researchers said. 'The number of rings varies according to the size of the specimen, with the largest specimen (9.8 inches long) presenting 60 rings when fully stretched.' Despite having a 'well-developed' brain, the animals have no eyes, according to the study, and their head is just marked by a slightly red area and a notched surface. The species's scientific name derives from the senior author's wife, Rosa Vigara, and was named 'as a gift for their golden wedding anniversary,' researchers said. The accordion worm is eyeless, researchers said. Verdes, et al (2025) Royal Society Open Science The accordion worms are known to live under rocks or shells about 100 feet below the surface, according to the study. 'The six specimens were found surrounded by a mucus sheath, five of them sheltered together under a shell,' researchers said. The species's size and coloration sets it apart from all other heteronemerteans, or ribbon worms, along with its 'unique' shrinking behavior, according to the study. Researchers called it 'reminiscent of large leeches.' The animal's head is marked by a notched end. Verdes, et al (2025) Royal Society Open Science 'The accordion worm belongs to the order Heteronemertea, same as Lineus longissimus, the longest animal on Earth, according to the Guinness World Records,' study author Aida Verdes told IFLScience. 'When heteronemerteans contract their body, wrinkles or rings may appear due to epidermal tightening, but these rings are not regularly distributed as observed in the accordion worm.' The worms are also venomous, Verdes told the news outlet, and her research is still trying to understand what toxins are used to make the group of marine worms effective predators. 'The coast of Galicia is the area where most nemertean species are known because it has been sampled more than other areas,' Verdes told the outlet, '[and yet], we still find new species to science with unique behaviors.' Galicia is on the northwestern coast of Spain, just north of Portugal along the Atlantic Ocean. The research team includes Verdes, Carlota Gracia-Sancha, Jacinto Pérez-Dieste, María Conejero, Patricia Alvarez Campos, Carlos Leiva, Sergi Taboada, Ana Riesgo and Juan Junoy. Irene Wright McClatchy DC Email this person Irene Wright is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter. She earned a B.A. in ecology and an M.A. in health and medical journalism from the University of Georgia and is now based in Atlanta. Irene previously worked as a business reporter at The Dallas Morning News.
