hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Photo essay: Rediscovered species for 2013
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Photo essay: Rediscovered species for 2013
Each year it is common for many species to be declared extinct. On the other hand, it is quite rare for species labeled as extinct to be 'rediscovered'. With 'rediscovery', 2013 has proved to be an unusual year.
The rate of lost species is high. According to one report, scientists estimate that 150 to 200 species go extinct every 24 hours. Compared to this high rate of extinctions, rediscoveries are rare. However, 2013 has proved to be an odd year with more species that were stated to be extinct 'rediscovered'. The Scientist magazine has listed out these 'rediscoveries'. They are described below, along with photographs drawn from different Creative Commons sources. 1. Mangarahara cichlid (Ptychochromis insolitus): Until recently, there were only two known individuals of this Madagascan fish, both males living in the ZSL London Zoo’s Aquarium. They were believed to be extinct in the wild, victims of deforestation and habitat loss as rivers were diverted to make way for agricultural fields. But an expedition earlier this year found a small population of the fish in a tiny village located on a now-disconnected tributary of the Mangarahara River.
2. Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer): No one had seen these frogs from the Hula Valley of Israel since 1955, but in the last two years, scientists have found 11 of the amphibians in that valley’s wetlands.
3. Pinocchio anole (Anolis proboscis): The long-nosed lizard from Ecuador was first found in 1953, when scientists captured nine specimens of the anole, all male. Over the next few years, a handful of the lizards were spotted. But then there were no sightings for 40 years, until a group of bird-watchers spotted an odd-looking lizard near the town of Mindo.
4. Hochstetter’s butterfly-orchid (Platanthera azorica): This orchid was noted in 1838 but not seen in the wild since. This year a specimen was found, making it Europe’s rarest orchid.
5. White-strip crab (Labuanium vitatum): A leader of a photo safari photographed this spectacular purple-clawed crab on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean in May, the first time there had been a documented sighting since 1989.
It will be interesting to see if there are any further major rediscoveries in 2014.
Bjoertvedt
Ptychochromis insolitus, a native of Madagascar
image:164531:0::0
2. Hula painted frog (Latonia nigriventer): No one had seen these frogs from the Hula Valley of Israel since 1955, but in the last two years, scientists have found 11 of the amphibians in that valley’s wetlands.
Mickey Samuni-Blank
Painted frog female specimen that was found at Lake Hula
image:164532:0::0
3. Pinocchio anole (Anolis proboscis): The long-nosed lizard from Ecuador was first found in 1953, when scientists captured nine specimens of the anole, all male. Over the next few years, a handful of the lizards were spotted. But then there were no sightings for 40 years, until a group of bird-watchers spotted an odd-looking lizard near the town of Mindo.
DanielCD
Picture of a lizard (Anolis carolinensis), similar to the rediscovered species
image:164533:0::0
4. Hochstetter’s butterfly-orchid (Platanthera azorica): This orchid was noted in 1838 but not seen in the wild since. This year a specimen was found, making it Europe’s rarest orchid.
Hans Hillewaert
Platanthera azorica, commonly known as Hochstetter's butterfly orchid
image:164534:0::0
5. White-strip crab (Labuanium vitatum): A leader of a photo safari photographed this spectacular purple-clawed crab on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean in May, the first time there had been a documented sighting since 1989.
Chris Bray
The white-strip crab
image:164535:0::0
It will be interesting to see if there are any further major rediscoveries in 2014.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Photo essay: Rediscovered species for 2013