The Discovery of New Species

It is a known fact that the tropical ecosystems around the globe are the most diversity rich areas, be it on land or under the sea. Coral reefs and tropical rainforests hide the maximum number of species of plants and animals, most of which are yet to be discovered. Every year sees the discovery of new species from the Neoptropical forests, including primates, bats and insects. In an example cited by Bruce Patterson, the checklist of animals from around the world published in 1992, shows an average of 8 new species being discovered annually, in addition to one new genus per year. [article] If this be the rate of discovery from one ecoregion, then taking all into consideration every other ecoregion around the globe, the rate of discovery will be a phenomenal number.

Since a large number of mammals fall under the category of "megafauna", the media advertises their discovery, especially if they are found in areas that are threatened habitats. Take, for example, the new civet-like animal that was found in the heart of Borneo in December 2005. It received much media coverage considering it was a previously unknown species and that the area where it was first photographed is currently under threat. What goes unnoticed by the public are the discoveries made in small pools, or in rivers, where there are crustaceans waiting to be discovered, species of moths and butterflies in lesser known forests around the world, even fungi and algae in remote corners or in hard to access places. Large number of bacteria are being discovered in places that is inhospitable to most lifeforms. Even the discovery of fossil remains of some ancient species new to science goes unnoticed by the common people. Such discoveries find mention in research papers published by scientific publications, finding no room in popular media.

The significance of each of these discoveries lies in its evolutionary relationship with related species. When the fossil remains of the Archeoptryx was discovered it proved to be a huge leap in evolutionary science, finally was there an evolutionary link between the birds and the reptiles. Darwinism ruled. Earlier this year, the fossil remains of a new species of fish was found in northern Canada that was dubbed a "tetrapod fish", apparently the skeletal remains showed that it had jointed fins, and a ribcage that could support the body while it was being dragged on land, filling a part of the evolutionary gap between fish and land animals. This discovery was popularised in the US, the New York Times and the Washington Post wrote about it.

But coming back to the tropics. The density of diversity of plants and animals is mind-blowing and what is far more interesting than the numbers would be the number of species that are being discovered ever so often. The Tibetan macaque (Macaca thibetana) was discovered in 2003-2004 in Arunachal Pradesh by a team led by Dr. Anindya Sinha. December 2005 saw the discovery of the civet-like animal in Borneo, followed by a the discovery of a new species of honeyeater along with butterflies, frogs, palms and a large rhododendron in Indonesia. [article]

A few days ago, Indonesia was again in the headlines with 50 new species being discovered in an underwater Eden, amongst them is a shark that can "walk" or stand on its fins. [article] This could have a some significance when it comes to evoultion of the tetrapod. Another link between the fishes and land animals. The same day saw another Arunachal discovery, a new bird called Bugun Liocichla, a very colorful little bird, could be some sort of a babbler.

From predictions made through the years, these discoveries may just be the tip of the iceberg. Not only will the tropics call for more attention, but other ecosystems as well will have to be explored - dark abysses below the sea, hot springs and geothermal vents, spores lying dormant under polar ice, and even bacteria lying undiscovered in the stomach of a carcass-feeder. There is no limit to what this blue planet has to offer in terms of new species. Its the taxonomists who seem to have their work cut out for them. With each new discovery comes the task of placing the species in the right taxa or classifying them under new taxa if the need arises. This also means there will always be changes in the taxonomy of existing species. Biology has always been a science of changes and exceptions, and the natural world provides enough and more suprises.

Technorati tags: ecology, evolution, darwinism, new species, discovery, walking shark, Bugun Liocichla, Macaca thibetana