Pensoft Publishers News - SciTechDaily

Hidden in Plain Sight: Marine Biologists Discover New Clam Species in South Africa

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 21:47:14 +0000

Researchers discovered a new species of marine bivalve in South Africa, providing new insights into the biodiversity of the region and emphasizing conservation. Galeommatoidean bivalves are a highly diverse, yet poorly known, group of marine mollusks. Now, a study led by Paul Valentich-Scott from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, along with collaborators from [...]

The First in Over 100 Years: New Species of Velvet Worm Discovered in Ecuador

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 01:33:53 +0000

A newly discovered velvet worm species in Ecuador, the Tiputini velvet worm, showcases unique ecological and morphological characteristics, enriching the known biodiversity of the region. Researchers have described a distinctive new species of velvet worm from Ecuador. The species, named the Tiputini velvet worm (Oroperipatus tiputini), was discovered in the lowland forests of the northern [...]

Photosynthesis-Free: Scientists Discover Remarkable Plant That Steals Nutrients To Survive

Pensoft Publishers — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:28:35 +0000

The newly discovered plant Thismia malayana in Malaysia’s rainforests parasitizes fungi to survive in shaded undergrowth. It’s small, pollinated by insects, and listed as Vulnerable, highlighting conservation needs. Scientists have discovered an extraordinary plant that survives by stealing nutrients from underground fungi. Named Thismia malayana, this unusual plant was recently published as a new species [...]

Captive Beasts, Stolen Bones: Exposing the Cruel Trade of Captive Lions

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 13:30:20 +0000

Concerning findings from a Nature Conservation study highlight rampant illegal and unethical practices within South Africa’s captive lion industry, prompting calls for strict governmental regulation and a comprehensive phase-out plan. A new research paper published today (August 8) in the scientific journal Nature Conservation has uncovered concerning activities within South Africa’s captive lion industry, shedding [...]

The Quick and the Curious: Discover the Mysterious New Creatures of the Deep Sea

Pensoft Publishers — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 06:00:35 +0000

Ocean biodiversity is under significant threat due to global changes, but new initiatives like the Ocean Species Discoveries, coordinated by the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance, aim to rapidly describe and publish findings on marine species. This innovative approach reduces the usual decades-long delay in species description, directly contributing to the conservation efforts needed to protect [...]

Dazzling New Blue Ant Species Unearthed in India

Pensoft Publishers — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 23:07:40 +0000

A team of entomologists has discovered a rare blue ant, named Paraparatrechina neela, in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The find, part of the Siang Valley biodiversity resurveys, highlights the unique fauna of the Eastern Himalayas and sparks interest in its ecological roles and evolutionary traits. A stunning blue ant has been discovered in Yingku village in [...]

Hidden Art in Nature: Newly Discovered Lizard Species Resembles Van Gogh’s Famous Painting “The Starry Night”

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 19 May 2024 09:01:01 +0000

You’ve probably seen nature depicted in art, but how often do you see an artwork hiding in nature? When they saw the back of a lizard in the Southern Western Ghats, a group of scientists from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation in India were reminded of Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. As soon as they figured [...]

Termites on Tour: How Climate Change Is Bringing Pests to Your Doorstep

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 19 May 2024 01:13:55 +0000

Rising global temperatures could lead to more widespread termite infestations, increasing damage costs beyond the current 40 billion USD per year, with researchers calling for immediate action to mitigate this threat. With the rising temperatures of climate change, homeowners face a new type of threat: invasive termites. Previously unaffected areas could see an influx of [...]

Buzzing Discovery: European Scientists Uncover New Bee Species in an Unexpected Place

Pensoft Publishers — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 11:15:41 +0000

A new bee species, Hoplitis onosmaevae, discovered in the French Alps and parts of Turkey and Iraq, exhibits unique ecological adaptations and faces conservation challenges due to its highly specialized habitat requirements. A team of European researchers has discovered a new species of osmiine bee with an unusual geographic distribution. Hoplitis onosmaevae is currently found [...]

Predator in Paradise: Lionfish’s Rapid Invasion of the Mediterranean Sea

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 14:15:15 +0000

A new study highlights the rapid expansion of the invasive lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea, revealing its impact on local biodiversity and the crucial role of citizen science in tracking its spread. Researchers from Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands, have published a comprehensive study on the invasion of lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea, highlighting [...]

“Ghostly” – Scientists Discover Mysterious Creature From the Shadows in Australia

Pensoft Publishers — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 08:22:04 +0000

In the sun-baked Pilbara region of northwestern Australia, researchers have discovered a mysterious creature from the shadows – a new ant species of the elusive genus Leptanilla. The new species, Leptanilla voldemort – L. voldemort for short – is a pale ant with a slender build, spindly legs, and long, sharp mandibles. The species name [...]

Alien Invasion or Natural Wonder? Scientists Discover Giant Water Bug on the Island of Cyprus

Pensoft Publishers — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 12:17:04 +0000

Cyprus, known for its stunning, sun-kissed shores, stands as a Mediterranean biodiversity haven. Yet, it’s the island’s picturesque beaches, rather than its rich insect life, that usually capture attention. However, the keen eyes and curiosity of some beachgoers have provided important information about a species never recorded before on the island: the giant water bug, [...]

Watch: The First Documented Coral Snake Food Heist in the Wild

Pensoft Publishers — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:11:14 +0000

Two red-tailed coral snakes were seen engaging in a battle over a caecilian, marking the first recorded instance of kleptoparasitism in the wild among the Elapidae family. Kleptoparasitism, or food theft, is a well-documented behavior in many animal species but is seldom reported among snakes in natural habitats. The observation, detailed in a recent study [...]

“Tiny, Beautiful, and Completely Unknown Animals” Discovered in the Ulu Temburong Forest

Pensoft Publishers — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 08:24:49 +0000

The undiscovered small beetles in the tropical rainforest are probably endless. But that did not discourage citizen scientists on expeditions to the Ulu Temburong forest in Borneo to keep adding them to scientific records, one at a time. Together with a team of researchers, they published a new species, Clavicornaltica mataikanensis in the open-access peer-reviewed [...]

Five Dazzling New Species of Eyelash Vipers Discovered in South America

Pensoft Publishers — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 16:50:35 +0000

Scientists have identified five new eyelash viper species in Colombia and Ecuador with unique appearances. A group of scientists led by researchers of Khamai Foundation discovered five dazzling new species of eyelash vipers in the jungles and cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. This groundbreaking discovery was made official in a study published in the [...]

Ancient Predator Unearthed: New Species of 65 Million-Year-Old Fossil Shark Discovered in Alabama

Pensoft Publishers — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:24:10 +0000

Following the extinction of the dinosaurs, this shark emerged as one of the top predators of the ocean. A team of scientists recently announced the discovery of a new fossil shark species from Alabama, USA. The team was led by Jun Ebersole, Director of Collections, McWane Science Center, Birmingham, AL, David Cicimurri, Curator of Natural [...]

Scientists Discover New Species of Coffee Snake in Ecuador’s Cloud Forests

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 02:18:35 +0000

Researchers from Khamai Foundation and Liberty University have identified a new species of coffee snake, endemic to the cloud forests in northwestern Ecuador. Biologist Alejandro Arteaga first found the snake in Ecuador’s Pichincha province, while looking for animals to include in a book on the Reptiles of Ecuador. “This is species number 30 that I [...]

“Baffling” New Species of Snake Discovered in Myanmar

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 13:56:32 +0000

Finding and describing new species can be a tricky endeavor. Scientists typically look for distinctive characters that can differentiate one species from another. However, variation is a continuum that is not always easy to quantify. At one extreme, multiple species can look alike even though they are different species—these are known as cryptic species. At [...]

Wang’s Garden Lizard – Scientists Discover Unique New Iguana Species

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:12:04 +0000

A newly discovered iguana species adds to Asia’s diverse reptile population, having been formally recognized in the scientific community through its description in the open-access journal ZooKeys. “From 2009 to 2022, we conducted a series of field surveys in South China and collected a number of specimens of the Calotes versicolor species complex, and found that the [...]

Scientists Discover Mysterious New Moth Species in Europe

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 09:45:32 +0000

European Lepidoptera, comprising butterflies and moths, are known to have around 11,000 species and are considered well-researched. However, the discovery of a new genus and species within the Geometrid moth family, suggests there’s still much to learn. The findings were recently published in the journal ZooKeys. The moth, named Mirlatia arcuata, by a research team [...]

Not Science Fiction: New Species of Stalked Puffball Resembles Iconic Sandworms From Dune

Pensoft Publishers — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 01:14:04 +0000

The researchers were inspired by the appearance and habitat of the fungus, drawing parallels to the iconic sandworms known as ‘Shai-Hulud’ from Frank Herbert’s renowned science fiction novel. A recently discovered species of stalked puffball, a gasteroid fungus, has been named in honor of the ‘Shai-Hulud’ sandworms from Frank Herbert’s famous science fiction series ‘Dune.’ [...]

Global Tree Crisis: The Alarming Rise of New Tree Diseases

Pensoft Publishers — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 09:13:37 +0000

Diseases significantly contribute to tree deaths in forests and urban landscapes. Continuous introductions of new diseases and the ability of pathogens to infect new host species escalate the risks to various tree types. The emergence of diseases in previously unaffected host species can lead to unprecedented levels of mortality, posing a growing threat to trees’ [...]

New Species of Spiny Mouse Discovered in Ecuador

Pensoft Publishers — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:33:14 +0000

A new species of spiny mouse has been discovered in Ecuador, making it the 14th of its genus to be identified in the past five years. Neacomys marci, which was previously confused with another species, is around the length of a tennis ball, with a long tail, pale suede belly fur and a white throat. Location and [...]

Electric Blue Surprise: Dazzling Tarantula Discovery in Thai Mangroves

Pensoft Publishers — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:22:40 +0000

A new electric blue tarantula species was discovered in Thailand’s mangrove forests. Its color is attributed to unique hair nanostructures, and the species emphasizes the significance of taxonomy and the need for conservation efforts. In an exciting discovery, a new species of tarantula with electric blue coloration was found in Thailand. “In 2022, the bamboo [...]