A cart wheeling spider, a wasp with a killer maternal instinct and a feathered dinosaur are just some of the weird and wonderful organisms included in the top 10 new species of 2015, announced by the International Institute for Species Exploration this week.
Balanophora coralliformis is a parasitic coral-like plant discovered in cloud forests in the Philippines. Credit: P. Pelser and J. Barcelon
The Top 10 list was started by the Institute in 2008 to increase public awareness about the biodiversity crisis and to highlight the important role of taxonomy.
“The list highlights the most important, interesting and fascinating discoveries each year,” said University of Auckland Professor Zhi-Qiang Zhang, a judge on the selection panel.
“It raises the awareness among the public of the importance of taxonomy – the science for discovering and classifying life on earth – to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of our environment and natural resources.”
With approximately 18,000 new species discovered in the last year, there was no shortage of candidates.
The 2015 list included a remarkable coral-like species found in a remote cloud forest in the Philippines by University of Canterbury scientist Dr Pieter Pelser and his colleague Dr Julie Barcelona.
The parasitic plant, Balanophora coralliformis, was seen in an unprotected mountainous area where there is a significant threat of illegal logging and slash-and-burn agriculture.
“You cannot protect plants and animals that you don’t know exist. That is one of the reasons why taxonomy is such an important field of biology,” Dr Barcelona explained.
Wondering what the Top Ten looks like? The images below, provided by the International Institute for Species Exploration, showcase the newcomers.
Life reconstruction of the new oviraptorosaurian dinosaur species Anzu wyliei. It’s been dubbed ‘The Chicken from hell’ however, at more than 10 feet in length, 5 feet in height and 600 pounds this was no chicken. Credit: Mark A. Klingler, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Balanophora coralliformis, a root parasite with tubers branching aboveground giving it a coral-like appearence. With fewer than 50 plants known in the Philippines, this species is considered critically endangered. Credit: P.B. Pelser & J.F. Barcelona
Cebrennus rechenbergi is a very agile arachnid when threatened. The spider cartwheels its way out of danger, twice as fast as running across the sand dunes in Morocco. Credit: Prof. Dr. Ingo Rechenberg, Technical University BerlinDendrogramma enigmatica are multicellular animals found on the sea floor off Australia. The tiny mushroom-like animals may be an entirely new phylum of animals loosely related to jellyfish and sea anenomes. Credit: Jørgen OlesenDeuteragenia ossarium: A wasp with a killer maternal instinct. Once her eggs are laid, this wasp seals her nest with dead ants creating a chemical barrier to protect her young. Credit: Michael StaabLimnonectes larvaepartus are fanged frogs which give birth to tadpoles. The Indonesian frog is the only known frog to have young this way. Credit: Jimmy A. McGuirePhryganistria tamdaoensis is a new giant stick insect found in Vietnam. These masters of camouflage can be seen at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. Credit: Jonathan BreckoPhyllodesmium acanthorhinum is a new sea slug found in the Japanese Islands. This beauty of the deep provides the ‘missing link’ between sea slugs that feed on hydroids and those specializing on corals. Credit: Robert BollandTillandsia religiosa is a beautiful bromeliad plant used in Christmas celebrations in Mexico. The new plant is an example of a species long known to local inhabitants but only recently discovered by science. Credit: A. EspejoTorquigener albomaculosus is a new species of puffer fish which creates underwater crop circles as spawning nests. Scientists discovered the ridges and grooves of the circle serve to minimize ocean current at the center of the nest. This protects the eggs from the turbulent waters and possibly predators too. Credit: Yoji Okata
