Over 1,000 New Species Discovered in Mekong Basin in Past Decade

A cyanide-laced, bright pink millipede and a rat thought to have become extinct 11 million years ago are among the 1,068 new species have been discovered in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong region alone in the past decade, according to a new report released by the World Wildlife Fund.

The Mekong Basin is being called a “biological treasure trove” after the findings of new species that include 519 plants, 279 fish, 88 frogs, 88 spiders, 46 lizards, 22 snakes, 15 mammals, four birds, four turtles, two salamanders and a toad. That’s an average of two new species discovered every week.

From Yahoo News:

The WWF report, “First Contact in the Greater Mekong”, said that “between 1997 and 2007, at least 1,068 have been officially described by science as being newly discovered species.”

These included the world’s largest huntsman spider, with a leg span of 30 centimetres (11.8 inches), and the “startlingly” coloured “dragon millipede”, which produces the deadly compound cyanide.

Not all species were found hiding in remote jungles — the Laotian rock rat, which the study said was thought to be extinct about 11 million years ago, was first encountered by scientists in a local food market in 2005, it said.

One species of pitviper was first noted by scientists after it was found in the rafters of a restaurant at the headquarters of Thailand’s Khao Yai national park in 2001.

“This region is like what I read about as a child in the stories of Charles Darwin,” said Dr Thomas Ziegler, curator at the Cologne Zoo, who was involved in the research.

Isn’t it amazing how, despite the fact that we humans have taken over this earth like a plague and displaced so many creatures, that there are still so many we’ve never even seen? The diversity of the life on this planet is truly awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, though, scientists say many of these newly discovered species are at risk due to development. The WWF has called for a cross-border agreement between the countries in the Greater Mekong area to protect it, and we fervently hope that it becomes reality.

Link [Yahoo News]
Photo credit: WWF

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