Giant, tiny and scary: The top 10 species of 2016
The State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry has announced its 2016 list of top new species. It's a varied roster of discoveries, so let's get right to the school's choices, in no specifically ranked order.
1. Tortoise
First up is this gentle giant above, a new species of Galapagos tortoise, Chelonoidis donfaustoi. Hailing from the island of Santa Cruz, it was deemed a new species after small differences in the island's eastern and western tortoises -- previously presumed to be simple genetic variations -- meant science had a new tortoise in its taxonomical life.
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2. Sundew
Here we see the new species Drosera magnifica from Brazil, thought to be the first plant species found with the help of social media. It's the largest sundew (growing up to 4 feet long) ever recorded, and it was thanks to photos first posted on Facebook that the giant plant came by its newly-awarded name.
3. Hominid
Last fall brought exciting news of a new human species, Homo naledi. Fossils of the new entry in the Homo genus were found in South Africa -- bones from at least 15 individuals comprising the paleontological bounty. It was similar to us in size, weight, hands and feet. Next up? Determining exactly how old the bones are.
4. Crustacean
This crustacean with the name Iuiuniscus iuiuensis is blind and has many legs but no color. It builds shelters made of mud and represents a new subfamily, genus and species of isopod (crustaceans that can get by on land or in the water). It was discovered in a cave in Brazil.
5. Anglerfish
Meet Lasiognathus dinema, an anglerfish with a face, body and everything else that only its mother could love. It was discovered in the Gulf of Mexico by researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration while they were assessing damage after 2010's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Oh, and that thing that looks like a fishing pole atop its head? It's called an esca and is thought to possibly help attract mates as well as lure prey when it glows (thanks to bacteria that live on some species of the fish and help them shine).
6. Seadragon
From the ungainly to the graceful, and downright beautiful -- now meet Phyllopteryx dewysea, also known as the "Ruby Seadragon." It's related to the equally lovable sea horse, but the seadragon is bigger (almost 10 inches long) and this red wonder represents the third species of seadragon.
Discovered off the coast of western Australia, it lives further out to sea, and deeper than its relative, the common or leafy seadragon.
7. Meet the beetle
This little featherwing beetle made its way onto the university's top new species list. It goes by its new name Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington and was found in Peru, the same hometown as the famous "Paddington Bear," which you can see referenced in the new creature's name.
Did we mention the beetle is little? As the SUNY staff put it, lining up 25 of these fellas head to tail would just about cover 1 inch. It was found in a pool of water on the leaf of a plant. Most featherwings hang out on the ground, where they feed on decaying things.
8. Ape
Here's the skull of a small ape (Pliobates cataloniae) nicknamed "Laia." The little female lived some 11.6 million years ago in modern-day Spain. She was only about 17 inches tall and weighed around 10 pounds, scientists say. Her life in the Miocene era has suggested that creatures of her time may have been more diverse than previously thought.
9. Flowering tree
Tucked away at the side of a road in Gabon was an entirely new tree species, Sirdavidia solannona. For trees, it's pretty small, reaching about 20 feet high and 4 inches around. The tree is a striking addition to the Annonaceae family of flowering plants.
10. Damselfly
Last, but certainly not least ... this new damselfly, also from Gabon in Africa, is called Umma gumma. Yes, we're not being silly: That's its name, which honors an early Pink Floyd album called Ummagumma.
Topics Animals
