Where would we be without taxonomists? We wouldn’t even want to imagine such a scenario, even though experts in taxonomy are declining at an alarming rate, just like some of the threatened species they describe.
This Taxonomist Appreciation Day is a great excuse to marvel at the amazing species that biodiversity specialists continue describing across the globe. The World Register of Marine Species does that by publishing a selection of the top 10 marine species published each year – we’re proud to share with you that two of 2023’s top marine species were first introduced to the scientific world on the pages of our journal ZooKeys!
The most spectacularly colored nemertean in the Caribbean, if not the world, it has a long, thin, thread-like body that can stretch much more than 200 mm long. Its head has a characteristic, narrow diamond or spearhead shape, vaguely reminiscent of a viper’s head.
Its name refers to the bright, colorful iridescent stripes and spots characterizing it. Bifrost, the rainbow bridge in the Norse mythology, reaches between Midgard, the human Earth, and Asgard, the realm of the gods. Some authors state that the name Bifrost means “shimmering path” or “the swaying road to heaven”, and that it might be inspired by the Milky Way.
This benthic marine worm usually lives in coral rubble, gravel, and shell hash. It can often be found stretched between nooks and crannies of the substratum.
Tetranemertes bifrost
Found near Bocas del Toro, Panamá, it is one of the first records of this genus in the Carribean sea.
In the 1970s, some 50 years before it was scientifically described, Smithsonian photographer Kjell Sandved took a picture of it draped over an unknown fan coral off Puerto Rico.
The second ZooKeys species featured in the selection is the whimsical Nautilus samoaensis.
Nautilus samoaensis
Nautiloids were in fact quite plentiful throughout the oceans at one point, based upon the fossil record. Today, they are represented by just a handful of species. Nautilus samoaensis and two other species got described as new to science in ZooKeys in early 2023, proving that Nautilus are more diverse than one could think.
Nautilus samoaensis has a beautiful shell; in fact, its shell color pattern is the most unique of all Nautilus species. It is composed of multiple, branching stripes that have a rearward projection after descending from the venter. No other known Nautilus species shows this color pattern. It lives near Pago Pago, American Samoa, where it has been found at depths between 200 and 400 m.
This marine species also ranked second in Pensoft’s Top 10 New Species selection for 2023.
Last year, we told you about the peculiarities of studying nautilus species, but these animals are actually under a serious threat from illegal fishing, as they are highly prized for their shells.
The Top 10 Marine Species is an initiative that brings awareness to the importance of the work of biodiversity scholars, so announcing it on Taxonomist Appreciation Day is only fitting; but it also highlights the need to better protect our oceans and the unique life that hides in there.
In 2023, the world of biodiversity saw some amazing discoveries . Our taxonomy journals published hundreds of new species, so selecting a Top Ten was tough, but here we go – get to know these beautiful new species, and maybe think about all the amazing diversity that still remains unexplored on our planet.
10. The walking leaf
It’s very often that undescribed species hide in plain sight for years, but it’s easy to understand why when they look like that! Leaf insects look confusingly similar to leaves – this sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators, but also presents a challenge to researchers.
“There are around 3,500 known species of stick and leaf insects and there are currently just over 100 described species of leaf insect,” researcher Dr Sven Bradler says. This is why when Phyllium ortizi and six other leaf insect species were found, it made for a really special discovery.
Lime-green in colour, Phyllium ortizi is so far only known from Mindanao Island, Philippines.
The Eastern Forest Hedgehog (Mesechinus orientalis) was discovered in southwestern China. It is a small-bodied hedgehog, smaller than most of the other species in its genus, its spines as short as 1.8-2 cm. It has a brown nose, with black whiskers that shorten towards the nose.
The species is currently known from southern Anhui and northwestern Zhejiang, where it lives in scrubland and subtropical broad-leaf evergreen forests at elevations from 30 to 700 m.
The researchers found out that genus Mesechinus, to which the new species belongs, dates back to the early Pleistocene and started appearing around 1.71 million years ago, while M. Orientalis diverged from its congeners some 1.1 million years ago.
Published in ZooKeys.
8. The bumpy salamander
Tylototriton zaimengwas found in the eponymous Zaimeng lake in Manipur, India. It is a medium-sized salamander has a massive wide head that could take up as much as a quarter of its total length. Its most distinctive feature are the knob-like warts along its body.
The salamander has an earthy-brown body with orange markings along its head and orange-brown warts down its back and sides. Its tail fades from brown at the base to yellow-orange at the tip.
#NewSpecies! New crocodile newt from India just snuck in:
An unexpected discovery, this new treefrog species was found in the Amazon lowlands of central Peru. The research team, led by Germán Chávez, was surprised that a new species could be hiding in plain sight in an otherwise well-explored part of the Amazon. No matter how many times they returned to the site, they only found two specimens, which made its scientific description challenging.
Its name, Scinax pyroinguinis, literally means “groins of fire”. It is a reference to the orange, flame-like pattern on the groins, thighs and shanks, but also to the wildfires in the area where it was found, which are a serious threat to its habitat.
Pinguicula ombrophila is part of the butterwort family, a group of insectivorous flowering plants consisting of around 115 species. Its leaves have a sticky texture, enabling it to capture and digest small insects.
For carnivorous plants, insects can be an additional source of nutrients to help them compensate the nutrient deficiency of the substrate they’re growing in. This gives them a competitive advantage over other plants and enables them to thrive in challenging habitats.
While the majority of butterworts are found in the northern hemisphere, this species was discovered in the elevated regions of southern Ecuador, near the Peru border. The research team found it on a nearly vertical rock face at 2,900 metres. Its name means “rain-loving butterwort”, highlighting the plant’s preference for very wet conditions.
Sinocyclocheilus longicornus(from the Latin words “longus”, meaning long, and “cornu”, meaning horn) comes from Southern China. It is only known from a dark vertical cave at an elevation of 2,276 m in the province of Guizhou. It is around 10-15 centimeters long and lacks pigmentation in its scales, which gives it it a ghostly whitish appearance. Since its eyes are small and probably not much help in a completely dark environment, it relies on barbels that look like tiny whiskers to feel its way around.
The researchers that found it are not quite sure what its “horn” is used for, but it might have something to do with navigating its way in the dark and dreary environment it inhabits.
Sinocyclocheilus longicornus is also featured in the SHOALS report on freshwater fish species described in 2023.
Sibon irmelindicaprioae was described as a new species together with four more tree-dwelling snake species from jungles of Ecuador, Colombia, and Panama. They all belong to Dipsadinae —a subfamily of snakes found in North and South America.
Also known as DiCaprio’s snail-eating snake, this species was named after actor and film producer Leonardo DiCaprio’s mother, Irmelin DiCaprio. The actor himself chose the name to honour his mother and raise awareness about the threats these snakes face.
Its habitat in Panama is affected by large-scale copper mining. The open-pit mines, some of them visible from space, make the areas uninhabitable for snail-eating snakes.
“These new species of snake are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of new species discoveries in this region, but if illegal mining continues at this rate, there may not be an opportunity to make any future discoveries,” says Alejandro Arteaga, who led the study to describe them.
Published in ZooKeys.
3. The Tolkien frog
You probably guessed it by now – this stream frog from the Ecuadorian Andes was named after J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
At about 66 millimeters (2.5 inches) long, Hyloscirtus tolkieniis tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but that doesn’t stop it from being simply stunning. With pale pink eyes and gold-speckled toes, it looks like it came straight out of Middle-earth. It was found at an elevation of 3190 meters in Río Negro-Sopladora National Park, a protected area of páramo and cloud forests.
I'm at a nerd convention today so here's the nerdiest frog I could find. Frog of the day is Hyloscirtus tolkieni, named for J. R. R. Tolkien. Photo is from the paper describing its recent discovery! https://t.co/DsQmzm7Np2pic.twitter.com/fpKBST6Uux
— LadyLasergun | Teatuber (@LadyLasergun) August 3, 2023
“The new species of frog has amazing colours, and it would seem that it lives in a universe of fantasies, like those created by Tolkien. The truth is that the tropical Andes are magical ecosystems where some of the most wonderful species of flora, funga, and fauna in the world are present. Unfortunately, few areas are well protected from the negative impacts caused by humans. Deforestation, unsustainable agricultural expansion, mining, invasive species, and climate changes are seriously affecting Andean biodiversity”, said Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia, one of the researchers behind this discovery.
Published in ZooKeys.
2. The enigmatic Nautilus
2023 was a great year for nautilus biodiversity: three species were described as new to science, including Nautilus samoaensis, which you see here. Like its name tells you, it was found off the coast of American Samoa.
Studying nautilus diversity is no easy feat – with setting spiky traps, hauling them over on board, and, eventually, burping nautiluses, it is surely a memorable experience.
Judging by the fossil record, nautiloids were once quite plentiful throughout the oceans. Today, however, they are represented by just a handful of species.
In addition, these fragile animals remain threatened by wildlife trade as they are hunted for their shells, which according to Mongabay can sell for up to about $1,000 each on the black market.
Found in Thailand’s Phang-Nga province, Chilobrachys natanicharum features an enchanting phenomenon: a neon blue-purple coloration that gives it a unique look.
There is no blue pigment in this tarantula’s body: the secret behind its striking color comes from the unique structure of its hair, which incorporates nanostructures that manipulate light in an effect that creates the blue appearance. Depending on the light, it can also appear violet.
Before it was described as a new species, Chilobrachys natanicharum was actually known to experts from the commercial tarantula trade market as “Chilobrachys sp. Electric Blue Tarantula,” but this is the first time that it’s discovered in its natural habitat.
Its name, in fact, resulted from an auction campaign, the proceeds from the auction have been channeled to bolster the education of Lahu children in Thailand and to aid impoverished cancer patients.
The enigmatic animals with beautiful shells are facing population declines and, possibly, even extinctions due to the activity of unregulated fisheries.
Guest blog post by Dr Gregory Barord, marine biology instructor at Central Campus and conservation biologist at the conservation organization Save the Nautilus
Nautiloids were once quite plentiful throughout the oceans, based upon the fossil record. Today, they are represented by just a handful of species, including the newly described Nautilus vitiensis of Fiji, Nautilus samoaensis of American Samoa, and Nautilus vanuatuensis of Vanuatu. These descriptions highlight the concept of allopatric speciation, or biogeographic isolation, where populations are geographically separated from other populations, resulting in a barrier to gene flow. Over time, these populations may eventually evolve into distinct species.
Nautilus samoaensis.
Nautilus trap construction. Photo by Gregory Barord
But what does it take to be able to collect the evidence needed to determine if three different populations of nautiluses are in fact three different species? For me, this is the best/worst part of the overall process, because nautilus fishing is not easy. For our team, it starts with building large, steel traps that are about a meter cubed. Then, we wrap the steel frame (ouch), with chicken wire (ouch) mesh (ouch), create an entry hole (ouch), attach it to a surface buoy with about 300 meters of fishing line, and bait it with (ouch) raw meat, usually chicken! Trap construction may take place on a nice beach or a bit inland in the rain or in a warm warehouse. Wherever it takes place, you will have some memories, I mean little scars, on your hands from working with the chicken wire. Looking down at my hands right now, I can remember where I was by looking at each of those scars… worth it!
Tossing the traps into the sea at dusk is the easy part. Load them on the boat, find the right depth, and tip them over the side of the boat. The hard part is retrieving the traps the next day, after about 12 hours of the raw chicken scent moving through the currents. There are a number of methods we’ve used to pull the traps up, from mechanical winches, hand-powered winches, float systems, boat pulls, and of course, just pulling with one hand at a time. Invariably, something happens in each location where we are just pulling the trap up from 300 meters one meter at a time, which takes a good half hour at least. But, at least you are getting a VERY good work-out. Eventually, you see the trap and these white little orbs in it and you know you’ve caught some nautiluses and the pulling is almost done, for now.
Nautilus trap in water with nautiluses in it. Photo by Gregory Barord
The next step might be my favorite. One of us jumps in the water and free dives about 5 meters to carefully (ouch, that chicken wire) reach for the nautiluses in the trap and bring them to the surface. You are face to face with these uniquely, misunderstood organisms who seem like this is just another day for them. For me, this is exhilarating! Once on the boat, they are placed in chilled seawater and from then on, the data collection happens fast. With the living organism in hand, you can start to glean even more of the differences between the species, examining the hood ornaments, or lack thereof. After some photos, measurements, and non-lethal tissue samples, the nautiluses are released and burped.
Nautilus vanuatuensis.
Maybe nautilus burping is my favorite part. To do this, we either dive with SCUBA or free dive with the nautiluses, and ensure there are no air bubbles trapped in the shell that may cause them to be positively buoyant. Imagine, you have one nautilus in each hand and you start swimming down, your feet and the nautilus tentacles pointed toward the surface. At a sufficient depth, you release them and observe their buoyancy. As the nautiluses compose themselves and jet back down to their nektobenthic habitat 300 meters below, you realize you may never see that individual nautilus again, and that nautilus may never see another human, well, maybe they will…
For me, the impetus for this publication in ZooKeysis rooted in nautilus conservation efforts. Over the last 20 years, I have studied nautiluses from many angles and for over 10 years now, have worked with an international team of folks to address nautilus conservation issues. For many nautiluses, probably millions, they were caught in much the same way that our team collected nautiluses. However, their first meeting with humans was their last as they were pulled from the trap, ripped from their protective shell, and tossed back in the ocean, used as bait, or, rarely, consumed. The shell is the attractive piece for shell traders and the living body has no value. It is like shark finning in that sense. As a direct result of these unregulated fisheries, populations of nautiluses have crashed, some have reportedly gone extinct, and international and country level legislation and regulations has been enacted.
A nautilus shell shop. Photo by Gregory Barord
Nautilus vitiensis.
Currently, there are no known fisheries in Fiji, American Samoa, or Vanuatu so the risk of these populations decreasing from fisheries is low, at the moment. Now, what is the risk to these same populations from ocean acidification, increased sedimentation, eutrophication, warming seas, and over-fishing of other species connected to the ecosystem nautiluses reside in? Right now, we simply do not know. Our conservation efforts started with simply counting how many nautiluses were left in different areas across the Indo-Pacific, then recording them in their natural habitat, then tracking their migrations, and now describing new species. There are still many questions to address regarding where they lay eggs, what they eat, and how they behave.
All nautiluses have long been grouped together when describing their natural history, but as we continue to uncover the nautilus story, it is increasingly obvious that each population of nautiluses is different, as exemplified by these three new species descriptions. This is certainly an exciting time for nautilus research, as we uncover more and more information about the secret life of nautiluses. I just hope that this is also an exciting time for nautiluses as well, and they continue doing their nautilus thing as they have done for millions of years.
