New species in Thailand, Vietnam, andChina. - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

snowcreature23 · 12-17-2008, 01:49 AM

he Greater Mekong, which is made up of 600,000 square kilometres of wetlands and rainforest along the Mekong River in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and China, is also home to striped rabbits, bright pink millipedes laced with cyanide and a rat that was believed to have become extinct 11 million years ago.

A host of new species has been found in the area, which is so full of life that previously unknown animals and plants have been turning up at a rate of two a week for a decade.

At least 1,068 new species were identified in the Greater Mekong from 1997 to 2007 along with several thousand tiny invertebrates, the Times reports.

Annamite striped rabbits, or Nesolagus timminsi, with black and brown fur, were discovered in Vietnam and Laos in 2000 and are only the second species of striped rabbit to be identified.

Among the most bizarre to be discovered was a hot-pink, spiny dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea..

The millipedes have glands that produce cyanide to protect them from predators.

Scientists believe that the shocking-pink colouration is a warning that they would make a fatal snack. "They would do well to heed this warning," concluded a WWF report on the Greater Mekong discoveries.

A huntsman spider, named Heteropoda maxima, measured 30cm across and was found in caves in Laos. It was described as the "most remarkable" of 88 new species of spider located in Laos, Thailand and the Yunnan province of China.

Thomas Ziegler, curator at Cologne Zoo, was among the researchers to explore the Greater Mekong.

"It is a great feeling being in an unexplored area and to document its biodiversity for the first time, both enigmatic and beautiful," he told the paper.

The discoveries documented in the WWF report First Contact in the Greater Mekong include 519 plants, 15 mammals, 89 frogs, 279 fish, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 4 birds, 4 turtles and 2 salamanders.

Stuart Chapman, the director of WWF's Greater Mekong programme, said: "We thought discoveries of this scale were confined to the history books. This reaffirms the Greater Mekong's place on the world map of conservation priorities."

Among the 15 mammals discovered in the region was the Laotian rock rat, Laonastes aenigmamus.

It was thought to have been extinct for 11 million years but a researcher spotted the corpse of one on sale in a food market in Laos in 2005.

snowcreature23 · 12-17-2008, 03:51 PM

This is so cool I thought people here would be excited about new life on earth,who knows mabe there find more new animals?

Marvo301 · 12-17-2008, 07:34 PM

Very Fascinating! And thanks for attaching the pictures as well(it would be cool to see a picture of that striped monkey!).

12-17-2008, 01:49 AM	#1
snowcreature23 Jason is waiting. Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 16, 2007 Location: Kenai,Alaska. Posts: 758	New species in Thailand, Vietnam, andChina. he Greater Mekong, which is made up of 600,000 square kilometres of wetlands and rainforest along the Mekong River in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and China, is also home to striped rabbits, bright pink millipedes laced with cyanide and a rat that was believed to have become extinct 11 million years ago. A host of new species has been found in the area, which is so full of life that previously unknown animals and plants have been turning up at a rate of two a week for a decade. At least 1,068 new species were identified in the Greater Mekong from 1997 to 2007 along with several thousand tiny invertebrates, the Times reports. Annamite striped rabbits, or Nesolagus timminsi, with black and brown fur, were discovered in Vietnam and Laos in 2000 and are only the second species of striped rabbit to be identified. Among the most bizarre to be discovered was a hot-pink, spiny dragon millipede, Desmoxytes purpurosea.. The millipedes have glands that produce cyanide to protect them from predators. Scientists believe that the shocking-pink colouration is a warning that they would make a fatal snack. "They would do well to heed this warning," concluded a WWF report on the Greater Mekong discoveries. A huntsman spider, named Heteropoda maxima, measured 30cm across and was found in caves in Laos. It was described as the "most remarkable" of 88 new species of spider located in Laos, Thailand and the Yunnan province of China. Thomas Ziegler, curator at Cologne Zoo, was among the researchers to explore the Greater Mekong. "It is a great feeling being in an unexplored area and to document its biodiversity for the first time, both enigmatic and beautiful," he told the paper. The discoveries documented in the WWF report First Contact in the Greater Mekong include 519 plants, 15 mammals, 89 frogs, 279 fish, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 4 birds, 4 turtles and 2 salamanders. Stuart Chapman, the director of WWF's Greater Mekong programme, said: "We thought discoveries of this scale were confined to the history books. This reaffirms the Greater Mekong's place on the world map of conservation priorities." Among the 15 mammals discovered in the region was the Laotian rock rat, Laonastes aenigmamus. It was thought to have been extinct for 11 million years but a researcher spotted the corpse of one on sale in a food market in Laos in 2005. Attached Images
	__________________ JUST BELEIVE

12-17-2008, 07:34 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	Very Fascinating! And thanks for attaching the pictures as well(it would be cool to see a picture of that striped monkey!).
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

12-17-2008, 03:51 PM	#2
snowcreature23 Jason is waiting. Forum Regular Join Date: Oct 16, 2007 Location: Kenai,Alaska. Posts: 758	This is so cool I thought people here would be excited about new life on earth,who knows mabe there find more new animals?