First spotted in the shallow waters of Nagasaki and Yamaguchi Prefectures, the Malagazzia michelin jellyfish has subsequently been cultured and studied in captivity, providing scientists with a complete look at its entire life cycle from polyp to adult.
Sampling localities of Malagazziamichelin. A. Tabira and Sasebo, Nagasaki Pref. (indicated by black stars); B. Katasoe-ga-hama, Yamaguchi Pref. (by grey star). (Image credit: Izumi et al.).
A Unique Marine Resident
Malagazzia michelin is a small aquatic invertebrate characterised by a hemispherical, transparent umbrella that typically grows to between 12 and 20 millimeters in diameter. While it shares the four-lipped mouth and linear gonads typical of its genus, it is easily distinguished by a peculiar feature: enigmatic brown spots that resemble tiny oil droplets scattered across its reproductive organs and central stomach. DNA analysis has confirmed its status as a unique species, which is distinct from other known members of the Malagazzia family.
Enlarged view of the structures of living Malagazziamichelin. A, B. Closed lips; C. Open lips; D. Tentacles and tentacular bulbs; E–G. Gonads; F. Mature female; G. Mature male. Scale bar: 0.1 mm. (Image credit: Izumi et al.).
The species has been aptly named Malagazzia michelin as a playful nod to the famous Michelin Guide. As the jellyfish matures, the number of its distinctive brown spots increases, a process that researchers likened to a restaurant earning more “stars” for its quality. This celestial theme is also reflected in its new Japanese common name, ama-no-gawa-kurage (Milky Way jellyfish), which compares the white gonads and twinkling brown spots to a starry galaxy.
External view of the living medusae of Malagazzia michelin. A. Lateral view; B. Oral view; C. Lateral view of Kuju-kushima 3 with lighting; D–F. Kuju-kushima 1; D. Aboral view; E. Sketch from aboral side; F. Lateral view. Scale bar: 5 mm. (Image credit: Izumi et al.).Polyps and juvenile–young medusae of Malagazzia michelin. A. Development of juvenile medusae; B–E. Polyps. Scale bar: 1 mm (thick); 200 µm (slender). (Photo credit: Izumi et al.).
Navigating the Confusion of Common Names
The formal scientific description of M. michelin addresses an interesting challenge in Japanese marine biology: the risk of common names. In Japan, ornamental jellyfish are often given descriptive common names, such as “salmon-roe laodicean jellyfish” (tsubuiri-sujiko-yawara-kurage), long before they are scientifically identified. This can lead to confusion – M. michelin, for instance, was previously misidentified in field guides as a member of the Laodicea genus, which is not closely related. Researchers emphasise that formal taxonomic work is essential to ensure that the biodiversity displayed in aquaria is accurately documented.
The discovery of Malagazzia michelin demonstrates the significant role that aquariums play as centres for scientific research and biodiversity discovery. By strengthening ties between public exhibitions and taxonomic research, scientists continue to bring the ocean’s most stellar species to light.
Original source:
Izumi T, Ikeda S, Nozoe Y, Goto S, Imamura N, Kinoshita T, Uchida H, Hamatsu Y, Akiyama H, Okuizumi K (2026) Discoveries from ornamental jellyfish in aquaria—description of Malagazzia michelin sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Leptothecata), second species of the genus from Japan. ZooKeys 1268: 13-32. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1268.173354
For more articles on zoology, visit the ZooKeys website and follow the journal on BlueSky and Facebook.
Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar. As the most important holiday in China, it is also widely celebrated across Korea, Vietnam, and other countries with a substantial Chinese diaspora.
In celebration of 2026 as the Year of the Horse, we reviewed our journals for horse-related studies. While our recent publications do not focus on horses themselves, we have highlighted several fascinating species that share an equine connection in their names.
2026 may be the Year of the Fire Horse, but we start our series with a creature of the opposite element: the seahorse!
Hippocampusjapapigu in situ, Hejie, Kenting, Taiwan. (Photo credit: Chao-Tsung Chen).
Monitoring tiny, cryptic pygmy seahorses can be costly and logistically challenging. To overcome this, researchers from Taiwan turned to citizen science, gathering photographs from divers and underwater photographers via social media. Five species were identified, including two never before recorded in the region.
Among them is the charismatic “Japan pig” seahorse, Hippocampus japapigu, originally described from Japan in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
At the time, only seven pygmy seahorses had been identified globally. Documenting five of them in Taiwan established the region among the world’s biodiversity hotspots for these miniature fish.
But seven did not remain the final count for long. In Chinese tradition, eight is considered an auspicious number, associated with prosperity and good fortune.
Enter Hippocampus nalu – the eighth recognized pygmy seahorse species!
Hippocampusnalu in situ, Sodwana Bay, South Africa at 14 m depth. (Photo credit: Richard Smith, oceanrealmimages.com).
It is also the first confirmed true pygmy seahorse recorded from Africa. Measuring just 20 mm, this tiny species was discovered at depths of 17 m on a sandy coral reef in Sodwana Bay, South Africa.
Seahorses also feature in a remarkable Mediterranean story…
A study published in Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria documented a stable and conspicuous population of the long-snouted seahorse, Hippocampus guttulatus, in a highly polluted coastal lagoon in the Ionian Sea.
Hippocampus guttulatus observed during the diving visual census carried out in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea), 2011-2013. (Photo credit: Francesco Tiralongo and Rossella Baldacconi).
Through three years of diving surveys, amounting to 69 hours underwater, researchers recorded 196 sightings. The seahorses showed a clear preference for artificial hard substrates, while only a few individuals were found in algal meadows.
Despite environmental fluctuations and pollution, the population persists. In the Year of the Horse, we wish you the same resilience and strength!
Fish is a traditional Lunar New Year dish, symbolising abundance and good fortune. While you won’t find a horsefish at the markets of Hainan, China, you can certainly spot a ponyfish.
Researchers have reported the first confirmed record of Aurigequula striata in Chinese waters, based on specimens collected at a fish market in Sanya, Hainan Island.
Aurigequulastriata, left lateral view. (Photo credit: Jia-Jie Chen).
Live seafood markets have long proven to be unexpected hotspots for scientific discovery – just like the remarkable giant isopod Bathynomus vaderi described from market-purchased material in Vietnam.
As fresh as the seafood on display, this discovery was published in late January 2026 in ZooKeys. Newly collected specimens of Aurigequula fasciata enabled detailed morphological and genomic analyses, including the first complete mitochondrial genomes for both species and new phylogenetic insights into the family Leiognathidae.
Aurigequulafasciata, left lateral view. (Photo credit: Jia-Jie Chen).
Fittingly, we close with a horseshoe bat once feared lost. Its name bridges our equine theme with a traditional Chinese symbol: the word for bat (fú, 蝠) is a homophone for blessing (fú, 福), representing happiness and prosperity.
Hill’s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hilli), listed as Critically Endangered and unseen since 1981, was rediscovered in Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda, after 40 years.
Rhinolophushilli, first observation of this species since 1981 in Nyungwe National Park. (Photo credit: Flanders, et al.).
Through cave surveys, forest capture efforts, and long-term acoustic monitoring, researchers confirmed the survival of this elusive species, bringing renewed hope for its conservation.
As we gallop into 2026, may the Year of the Horse bring you strength, endurance, and a stable path toward success. On behalf of Pensoft, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Original sources:
Chen J-J, Zhong J-S, Zeng S, Yang D-Y, Liu P, Wang X-D, Zhang H-Y, Ye J-Q (2026) A new leiognathid record from China with complete mitogenomes and phylogenetic insights of two Aurigequula (Teleostei, Leiognathidae) species. ZooKeys 1267: 31-49. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1267.174380
Flanders J, Frick WF, Nziza J, Nsengimana O, Kaleme P, Dusabe MC, Ndikubwimana I, Twizeyimana I, Kibiwot S, Ntihemuka P, Cheng TL, Muvunyi R, Webala P (2022) Rediscovery of the critically endangered Hill`s horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hilli) and other new records of bat species in Rwanda. Biodiversity Data Journal 10: e83546. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.10.e83546
Heard J, Chen J-P, Wen CKC (2019) Citizen science yields first records of Hippocampus japapigu and Hippocampus denise (Syngnathidae) from Taiwan: A hotspot for pygmy seahorse diversity. ZooKeys 883: 83-90. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.883.39662
Short G, Claassens L, Smith R, De Brauwer M, Hamilton H, Stat M, Harasti D (2020) Hippocampus nalu, a new species of pygmy seahorse from South Africa, and the first record of a pygmy seahorse from the Indian Ocean (Teleostei, Syngnathidae). ZooKeys 934: 141-156. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.934.50924
Tiralongo F, Baldacconi R (2014) A conspicuous population of the long-snouted seahorse, Hippocampus guttulatus (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes: Syngnathidae), in a highly polluted Mediterranean coastal lagoon. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 44(2): 99-104. https://doi.org/10.3750/AIP2014.44.2.02
A new deep-sea chiton has been officially named by the public and described in the Biodiversity Data Journal. The name is the result of a viral, week-long collaboration between science communicator Ze Frank, Senckenberg, and Pensoft Publishers.
From over 8,000 suggestions submitted via social media, the research team responsible for describing the species selected the name Ferreiraella populi. The specific epithet populiis a Latin singular noun in the genitive case meaning “of the people”. Curiously, the name was independently suggested by 11 different contributors during the naming contest.
From a YouTube video to Taxonomy
It all began when Ze Frank featured the rare deep-sea chiton (genus Ferreiraella) in an episode of his “True Facts” YouTube series.
Equipped with an iron-clad radula (a rasping tongue) and eight protective shell plates, the chiton also hosts a tiny community of worms near its tail that feed on its excrements. Everyone was invited to propose a scientific name and justification; within a week the community responded with over 8,000 name suggestions.
“We were overwhelmed by the response and the massive number of creative name suggestions!” says Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart, co-chair of SOSA at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. “The name we chose, Ferreiraella populi, translates to “of the people”.
Other notable suggestions included Ferreiraella stellacadens meaning “Shooting star chiton” – named for its unique aesthete pattern and the fact that it “shot to fame” during the selection process.
Another was Fereiraella ohmu in reference to a chiton-like creature from Studio Ghibli, providing a nod to Japan, where the species was discovered.
A Specialized Resident of the Deep
Originally discovered in 2024 within the Izu-Ogasawara Trench at a depth of 5,500 meters, the new deep-sea chiton Ferreiraella populi belongs to the genus Ferreiraella, a rare and specialized group of mollusks that live exclusively on sunken wood in the deep sea.
Deep-sea sample extraction. Video Credit to Chong Chen/JAMSTEC
The new species represents an addition to a lineage of chitons that has been little researched to date and provides further evidence that deep-sea wood-fall ecosystems host highly specialized and still largely undiscovered communities,
explains Sigwart
Chitons are often described as a cross between a snail and a beetle. However, unlike common mollusks with a single shell, chitons possess eight separate shell plates(valves). This unique anatomy allows them to roll into a protective ball or cling to the irregular surfaces of deep-sea wood-falls.
Found in both warm coastal waters and coral reefs as well as the deep sea, chitons can live at depths of up to 7,000 meters under extreme conditions and in absolute darkness.
How is a scientific name formed?
Ever wonder how a creature goes from “that deep-sea thing” to a formal scientific entry? Every newly discovered species is assigned a scientific name as part of its original taxonomic description.
This follows Carl Linnaeus’s principle of binomial nomenclature and consists of two parts: the genus name (the first part, capitalized and italicised) and the specific epithet (the second part, lowercase and italicised).
The name is assigned by the author(s) of the first description in a scientific publication, adhering to international codes such as the ICZN (zoology) or the ICN (botany). The name must be novel, unique, and latinized. Usually, epithets are often derived from characteristics like color or size, geographic locations, mythology, or personal names used to honor a specific individual.
Ferreiraella populi in its natural habitat. Video credit to Chong Chen/JAMSTEC
Ferreiraella populi exemplifies the overwhelming biodiversity of the oceans, the vast majority of which remains unexplored. Many species go extinct before we even know they exist – this is especially true for marine invertebrates,
says Sigwart
“It can often take ten, if not twenty years, for a new species to be studied, scientifically described, named, and published. At SOSA, we have therefore made it our mission to streamline these processes while simultaneously engaging the public with these fascinating creatures. Finding a name for the chiton together on social media is a wonderful opportunity to do just that!” comments Sigwart.
“Ferreiraella populi has now been described and given a scientific name only two years after its discovery. This is crucial for the conservation of marine diversity, especially in light of the threats it faces such as deep-sea mining!” she says.
Research paper:
(SOSA) SOSA, Chen C, Frank H, Kraniotis L, Nakadera Y, Schwabe E, Sigwart JD, Trautwein B, Vončina K (2026) Ocean Species Discoveries 28–30 — new species of chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) and a public naming competition. Biodiversity Data Journal 14: e180491. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e180491
In the rugged hills of Shiren Gou, Urumqi, in China, a field research trip turned into a scientific discovery for middle school student Wang Yuheng. In June, 2022, while exploring, the student spotted an insect with an unusual metallic luster on its body.
After several days of comparisons, he made a bold claim: this was a new species that he had never seen before!
The discovery was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, marking the first record of Cheiroplatys aiweiae in China, as well as the first documented distribution of Cheironitis moeris in the country.
Photo of Wang Yuheng. Credit to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps No. 2 Middle School WeChat Official Account
However, turning the discovery of the new species into a published paper wasn’t easy for Wang. He was faced with language barriers, struggled with report structure, and grappled with complex scientific terms. Undeterred, he consulted existing literature, double-checked data, and worked through multiple revisions until the manuscript was finally ready for publication.
By tradition, the discoverer of a new species has the right to name it. Endearingly, Wang chose the name Cheiroplatys aiweiae after his mother’s name, honoring her unwavering support throughout the research and publication process.
Original source:
Wang, Y., Montreuil, O. and Coppo, P. (2025). A new species of Cheironitis van Lansberge, 1875 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Onitini) and the first record of Cheironitis moeris (Pallas, 1787) from China. ZooKeys, 1265, pp.151–158. doi: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1265.174240
Australian botanists have newly identified Solanum nectarifolium, or the Tanami Bush Tomato, from historical specimens collected near the northern edge of the Tanami Desert.
Specialized Organs for Feeding Ants are First of Their Kind.
LEWISBURG, Pa. — A recent study led by Bucknell University Professor Chris Martine, biology, the David Burpee Professor in Plant Genetics & Research, has identified and described a new species of bush tomato with a special connection to ants — a taxonomic journey sparked by unusual specimens held in Australian herbarium collections.
The study, co-authored by a set of Australian botanists and Jason Cantley — the former Burpee Postdoctoral Fellow in Botany at Bucknell who is now Associate Professor of Biology at San Francisco State University — was published in the open-access journal PhytoKeys and underscores the critical role that natural history collections play in biodiversity science. The new species, Solanum nectarifolium, or the Tanami Bush Tomato, was named for the location of its original collection area — the northern edge of the Tanami Desert — and for the uniquely conspicuous nectar-producing organs on the undersides of its leaves.
Solanum nectarifolium, a newly-described species of Australian bush tomato. Photo credit: Kym Brennan.
Martine first had an inkling that something was unusual about the plants from that region of the Northern Territory while working on a project with another former Burpee Postdoc, Angela McDonnell, now an Assistant Professor at St. Cloud State University. The pair included DNA extracted from two herbarium specimens representing Solanum ossicruentum, a species known as the Blood Bone Tomato that the Martine Lab described in the same journal in 2016, in an ongoing analysis meant to build a new bush tomato evolutionary tree.
“We couldn’t understand why the two collections of the same species kept showing up in different parts of the tree,” says Martine. “I had collected one of them and was certain that it represented Solanum ossicruentum, so I reached out to the person who collected the other one, David Albrecht, and asked whether he thought the plants he saw in 1996 at a place called Jellabra Rockhole could be something else.”
Albrecht, Senior Botanist at the Northern Territory Herbarium at Alice Springs, suggested that the best way to know would be for botanists to revisit that remote region of the northwestern Tanami Desert and see for themselves. Martine, who had participated in seven collecting expeditions to northern Australia since 2004, wasn’t disappointed.
“I was kind of hoping he’d tell me that,” Martine says. “Because I was already planning some new fieldwork in the Northern Territory and this would give me a great season to visit an area I had never been to before. But to really be prepared for a trip like that, I first needed to understand what other botanists had recorded and collected there in the past – and there is only one surefire way to do that: check what is in the herbarium collections.”
So Martine started by using the Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH), a database of every plant specimen held in every herbarium in Australia. He searched for collections made of Solanum ossicruentum and a similar species called Solanum dioicum in the northern Tanami, finding 15 records for specimens gathered as far back as 1971.
Map showing distribution of Solanum nectarifolium sp. nov. and S. ossicruentum based on accessions held at the Northern Territory Herbarium, Palmerston (DNA), the Western Australian Herbarium (PERTH), and the National Herbarium of New South Wales (NSW). Credit: Martine et al., 2025
“It was a really interesting distribution of points on the map, too,” Martine says. “These were far south of the other records for Solanum ossicruentum, with hundreds of miles of ‘empty’ country between the two clusters. I couldn’t wait to get to Australia to see what those Tanami plants looked like.”
In May 2025 Martine headed to Australia to meet his team for the trip: Cantley and paper coauthors Kym Brennan, Aiden Webb, and Geoff Newton, all associated with the Northern Territory Herbarium at Palmerston. But, first, Martine made a stop in another plant collection in the southwestern city of Perth.
“The visit to the Western Australian Herbarium was my first chance to spend a bunch of time with some of the actual specimens that I had earmarked based on the data in AVH,” Martine explains. “And what I saw there legit blew my mind.”
Every specimen looked similar to Solanum ossicruentum, except for a few subtle characteristics – and one thing that Martine had never seen in more than two decades of Outback botanizing.
The veins on the leaf of Solanum nectarifolium, showing the extrafloral nectaries (EFNs). Phtoo credit: Kym Brennan.
“On the backs of the leaves, along the veins, were these visible round disks,” Martine notes. “They were each around a half-millimeter wide, really obvious, and the only bush tomato specimens that had them – we’re talking hundreds and hundreds of collections – were the ones from the northern Tanami.”
Martine thought they could be extrafloral nectaries (EFNs), non-flower organs on a plant that exude sweet liquid, typically as a means to attract ants that might protect the plants from herbivores. These were known to exist in a few Australian bush tomatoes, but those are tiny and have only been confirmed with microscopes. EFNs that could be seen without magnification would be something truly novel.
A few days later, Martine was in the herbarium at Palmerston and found the same pattern: more visible disks and only on plants from that same geographic area. Then he noticed that the most recent collection, from 2021, had been made by Kym Brennan – a renowned field biologist with an expertise in photography who was preparing for their trip in the next room.
“I ran in there and asked whether he remembered anything unusual about that collection – and before I could finish my explanation for why, he was already showing me an incredible photo of the leaves of that same plant. They were positively oozing with shiny, round droplets of nectar. And all from those disks on the veins.”
The oozing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) on the underside of the Solanum nectarifolium leaf. Photo credit: Kym Brennan
Eight days and more than 1000 kilometers of driving later the team arrived near Brennan’s collection site 50 kilometers southwest of the community of Lajamanu, right along the edge of the unpaved Lajamanu Road.
“This was more-or-less the same place where others had collected it in the early 1970s, so we were cautiously optimistic that we’d not only find it there again, but that the plants would have the flowers and fruits on them that we needed to describe this as a new species,” explains Martine. “But it’s a harsh environment and the abundance of bush tomatoes is often dependent on fire occurrence. Sometimes you get to a place and there is nothing but old gray stems. Other times there are more happy plants than you can count. In this case, it was the latter situation!”
Habitat of Solanum nectarifolium at the type locality. Photo credit: Aiden Webb.
The team got to work taking notes, making measurements, and shooting photographs. And then Cantley called for Martine to come over to the plant he was examining. There were ants all over the leaf undersides, avidly moving from disk to disk and probing them for nectar. Hypothesis confirmed.
The collaborators decided on the scientific name “nectarifolium” – which translates to “nectar leaf,” for obvious reasons – and the English-language name Tanami Bush Tomato. Martine then contacted a few experts about the conspicuous nature of the EFNs and whether that has been seen anywhere else in the genus Solanum, a group of around 1200 species that includes the tomato, potato, and eggplant.
“As far as we know, this is the first Solanum species to be described as having extrafloral nectaries that you can see with your naked eye. That’s a pretty cool finding – and it all started with the examination of specimens that have been waiting in herbaria for as long as a half-century for someone to come along and take a closer look.”
Bucknell’s own Wayne E. Manning Herbarium, which holds approximately 25,000 plant specimens, now includes new samples of the Tanami Bush Tomato. But the official holotype remains at the Northern Territory Herbarium in Palmerston — almost 10,000 miles away from Bucknell’s campus.
Habit and morphology of Solanum nectarifolium. Photo credit: Kym Brennan and Chris Martine.
“The Manning Herbarium may be small, but every specimen is a snapshot of biodiversity,” Martine says. “These collections allow us to study where species occur, how they’ve changed over time, and — in cases like this — even help discover new ones.”
The publication of the new species comes amid broader concern over the fate of natural history collections, such as Duke University’s recently announced closure of its herbarium housing more than 800,000 specimens. Martine and his colleagues agree that such closures could hinder future discoveries and conservation efforts.
Martine, a leading expert on Australian bush tomatoes, was recently elected president-elect of the Botanical Society of America. He will begin his term as president following the organization’s annual meeting in August 2026.
“It still doesn’t feel real and probably won’t until I start my term just after Botany 2026,” Martine says. “But I promise to do my best because plants are awesome and so are botanists.”
Original study:
Martine, C.T., Brennan, K., Cantley, J.T., Webb, A.T. and Newton, G. (2025). A new dioecious bush tomato, Solanum nectarifolium (Solanaceae), from the northern Tanami Desert, Northern Territory, Australia, with reassessment of S. ossicruentum and a change in the circumscription of S. dioicum. PhytoKeys, 268, pp.183–199. doi: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.268.169893
In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features.
Cryptotermes mobydicki, the name given to the termite by the international research team — led by a University of Florida scientist — boasts features of an elongated head and hidden mandibles. It resembles the iconic sperm whale from Herman Melville’s classic novel — hence its name.
These slides show views of the termite soldier’s frontal prominence and elongated head resembling the head of a sperm whale, and how in both the whale and termite, the mandibles are eclipsed by the head. Photo provided by Rudolph Scheffrahn.
“This termite is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” said Rudolf Scheffrahn, professor of entomology at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
The specimen was so distinctive that the team of international entomologists thought it was looking at specimens of an entirely new genus, said Scheffrahn, whose taxonomic research is based at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center.
This termite is unlike anything we’ve ever seen
Rudolf Scheffrahn
“The lateral view of the soldier’s frontal prominence and elongated head resembles the head of a sperm whale, and in both organisms, the mandibles are eclipsed by the head,” he said. “The whale’s eye and soldier’s antennal socket are comparatively positioned. After I noticed the resemblance to a sperm whale, my coauthors thought the name to be appropriate and whimsical, much like ‘ghost orchid’ or ‘Dumbo octopus.’”
The discovery adds a 16th species to the South American roster of Cryptotermes termites. A genetic family tree analysis shows that Cryptotermes mobydicki is closely related to other neotropical species found in Colombia, Trinidad and the Dominican Republic, giving scientists a new clue into the evolutionary story of this globally distributed genus.
Illustration from an early edition of Moby-Dick.
Researchers found the colony in a dead, standing tree about eight meters off the forest floor. It’s unusual anatomy highlights the diversity of termite evolution and the surprises still waiting in tropical ecosystems.
“The discovery of this distinctive new termite species underscores the vast number of unnamed organisms yet to be discovered on our planet,” said Scheffrahn.
To scientists, discovery is also a win for biodiversity. Every new species discovered adds to scientific understanding of life on earth, especially in a group as small as termites with only about 3,000 species worldwide.
There is also good news for Florida property owners. As a newly described drywood termite species, Cryptotermes mobydicki is no threat to homes or trade. Unlike other invasive termites that cause costly damage in parts of the southeastern United States, this species is found only in its rainforest habitat and does not spread beyond it.
Research article:
Scheffrahn RH, Buček A, Sillam-Dussès D, Šobotník J (2025) Cryptotermes mobydicki (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), an extraordinary new termite species from French Guiana. ZooKeys 1258: 305-311. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1258.166021
Story originally published by: Lourdes Mederos, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Republished with permission.
Researchers in Malaysia have discovered a new endemic ‘fairy lantern’ species with fewer than 20 individuals known to exist in the wild.
Despite having only just being discovered, the ethereal plant is considered Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List due to its tiny population and threatened habitat.
Take a look at the incredible Thismia selangorensis below!
Thismia selangorensis. Credit: Gim Siew Tan.
Thismia selangorensis. Credit: Gim Siew Tan.
Thismia selangorensis. Credit: Gim Siew Tan.
Thismia selangorensis. Credit: Gim Siew Tan.
Described in the open-access journal PhytoKeys, the peach-to-pink Thismia selangorensis joins the expanding Thismia genus, which includes 120 known species of mycoheterotrophic plants. Unlike familiar phytosynthetic plants, mycoheterotrophic species lack chlorophyll and do not get their energy from the sun. Instead, they depend solely on a parasitic relationship with fungi in the soil for their nutrition.
Species from this genus are typically found in undisturbed forests rich in leaf litter, where moist and shaded soils allow them to remain hidden for much of their lives, making their discovery extremely difficult.
Thismia selangorensis was no exception. Standing at only around 10 cm tall, with coral‑like roots and a peach-to-pink flower that develops into a distinctive umbrella‑shaped “mitre” topped by three slender club‑shaped appendages, Thismia selangorensis had gone unnoticed despite decades of human activity in its habitat.
Among the earlier individuals found, one was located in a hole at the base of a tree, as if living in a cave. Later, a few more individuals were found in more open areas near tree buttresses along the riverbanks.
Thismiaselangorensis. A. Young flower that is not yet fully developed ; B. Mature flower living just beside the roots of a tree buttress; C. A clump of T.selangorensis at different stages in its natural habitat (FRI 79182); D. A clump of flowers showing a different stage of mitre. Credit: Gim Siew Tan (A–C) and Mohd Faizal (D).
“This discovery shows that significant scientific finds are not limited to remote jungles; they can also be made in ordinary environments where constant human activity leaves little room for expectation. Protecting Thismia selangorensis will require cooperation among researchers, the forest department, stakeholders, and the public, as its survival depends on how carefully we tread in its habitat.”
Siti-Munirah Mat Yunoh (FRIM), lead author of the research paper.
Naturalist Tan Gim Siew first spotted the elusive species in November 2023 during a routine photography visit to Taman Eko Rimba Sungai Chongkak, part of the Hulu Langat Forest Reserve and a long‑established picnic and camping destination near Kuala Lumpur. A tiny plant was growing among moist leaf litter near the buttress roots of a riverside tree. Follow-up surveys revealed that fewer than 20 individuals were present, with an estimated occupied habitat of only four km².
Video showing the public nature of Thismia selangorensis‘s habitat. Credit: Gim Siew Tan.
The authors highlight that, although part of the Sungai Chongkak forest remains relatively intact, plants growing close to riverside campsites and picnic areas could easily be destroyed unintentionally by trampling or flooding. They recommend careful management of visitor access around known sites, continued monitoring of the population and further botanical surveys to clarify whether the species occurs beyond its currently known locality.
“The most important effort now is to raise awareness about this species so the public realises that it exists – right here, in this small corner of the world, and nowhere else, at least for now. Understanding its presence is the first step towards ensuring that this extraordinary plant is not lost before many people even know it exists.”
Siti-Munirah Mat Yunoh (FRIM), lead author of the research paper.
Original source
Siti-Munirah MY, Gim Siew T, Mat-Tahir MF, Azhar A (2025) Thismia selangorensis (Thismiaceae): a new mitriform fairy lantern species from Selangor, Malaysia. PhytoKeys 267: 9-21. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.267.157968
Inspired by its seemingly doomed fate, the Colombian species was named after the protagonist of Gabriel García Márquez’s Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
When researchers discovered an unknown orchid species growing in the cloud forests and páramos of Colombia’s Western and Central Andes, they were struck by the iconic first line of Gabriel García Márquez’s 1981 novella Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
Lepanthesnasariana. A. Flower, frontal view; B. Leaf, showing its thick, succulent morphology; C. Habit of the plant, showing the growth form and habitat. Photographs by J.S. Moreno.
Found thriving in lush, humid habitats at altitudes between 2,800 and 3,600 metres, Lepanthes nasariana is currently assessed as “Least Concern” according to IUCN Red List criteria. But its discovery is shadowed by a grim future, and a team of Colombian botanists has issued an urgent wake-up call after projecting its likely extinction within decades due to climate change.
Drawing inspiration from the tragic fate of protagonist Santiago Nasar, the researchers have termed their finding the “Nasar Effect”: a phenomenon where new species are described even as their demise is foretold by the conditions that threaten them. In the novella, Nasar’s impending death is known to everyone but himself, reflecting the fate of this new species.
Gabriel García Márquez.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold cover.
Published in the open-access journal PhytoKeys, the researchers’ models show Lepanthes nasariana could lose up to 96% of its suitable habitat by 2090 under a worst-case climate scenario, shrinking the orchid’s presence to tiny refugia in just two Colombian national parks.
The projected impact of rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns would, under more severe climate projections, qualify it as “Critically Endangered” in less than a century. This trajectory is reflected in numerous high-Andean species, many still unknown to science, whose fates may soon be sealed by global warming.
Projected changes in the potential distribution of Lepanthes nasariana under future climate scenarios. A. scenario for 2070; B. scenario for 2070; C. scenario for 2090; D. scenario for 2090. Blue indicates stable habitat, red indicates habitat loss. Each map represents the ensemble average of multiple GCMs under intermediate (SSP2-4.5) and high (SSP5-8.5) greenhouse gas emission pathways.
“Like the fate of Santiago Nasar, Lepanthes nasariana lives under a prophecy it cannot hear. Its extinction foretold by the warming of the very clouds that cradle it. Yet, in naming it, we hope to break that spell, to remind the world that there is still time to change the ending,” said the research team behind the discovery.
Original source
Moreno JS, Herrera Cobo AT, Palacio RD, Hazzi NA (2025) Chronicle of a death foretold: Lepanthes nasariana (Orchidaceae, Pleurothallidinae), a newly described high-Andean orchid facing a worst-case climate change scenario. PhytoKeys 266: 219-240. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.266.161410
A new species of wolf snake was discovered from the Great Nicobar Islands, India.
Photo by Girish Choure.
Researchers R. S. Naveen and S. R. Chandramouli of the Pondicherry University, Zeeshan A. Mirza of the Max Planck Institute for Biology and Girish Choure of Pune published the discovery in the open-access journal Evolutionary Systematics.
Photo by S. R. Chandramouli.
The team named the new species Irwin’s wolf snake, or Lycodon irwini, after the late Stephen Robert Irwin, the renowned Australian zookeeper, conservationist, television personality, and wildlife educator. “His passion and dedication to wildlife education and conservation have inspired naturalists and conservationists worldwide, including the authors of the paper,” they write in their study.
Photo by Girish Choure.
The adults of the new species are glossy black and can grow to a meter in length. The snakes are non-venomous and likely feed on reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. Currently, the species appears to the endemic to the Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelago. Based on the narrow distribution range and potential human threats to the species, the authors suggest that it should be considered Endangered.
“New species continue to be discovered, exemplified by Lycodon irwini, highlighting the ongoing progress in taxonomy and the incomplete understanding of herpetofaunal diversity and distribution in the region,” the researchers write in their paper.
Research article:
Naveen RS, Mirza ZA, Choure G, Chandramouli SR (2025) A ‘Crikey’ new snake: An insular Lycodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata, Colubridae) from the Nicobar Archipelago, India. Evolutionary Systematics 9(2): 221-228. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.9.170645
Guest blog post from the University of Copenhagen. Read their press release here.
An international team of researchers have identified three new species of enchanting, pustular, tree-dwelling toads from Africa. Their solution for having offspring away from water? Skipping the tadpole phase altogether, and giving birth to live toadlets. The study is published in the open-access scientific journal Vertebrate Zoology.
One of the newly described toad species, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis. Photo credit: John Lyarkurwa
Most textbooks will tell you only one story of frog reproduction: Eggs to tadpoles to froglets to adults. But for three newly discovered species found in Tanzania this is not the case. The three new species of frogs belong to an unusual group of African toads in the genus Nectophrynoides — commonly called “tree toads.”
Instead of laying eggs that hatch into tadpoles, the female tree toads carry their offspring inside their bodies and give birth to fully formed, tiny toads. This makes them among the very few amphibians in the world capable of internal fertilization and true live birth.
“It’s common knowledge that frogs grow from tadpoles—it’s one of the classic metamorphosis paradigms in biology. But the nearly 8000 frog species actually have a wide variety of reproductive modes, many of which don’t closely resemble that famous story” says Assoc. Prof. Mark D. Scherz, Curator for Herpetology at the Natural History Museum Denmark, a coauthor on the study.
Like its relatives, Nectophrynoides luhomeroensis has large skin glands all over its body. Photo credit: Michele Menegon.
Only a handful of frog species from South America and southeast Asia have developed similar strategies making these toads a rare case in the animal kingdom.
“Live-bearing is exceptionally rare among frogs and toads, practiced by less than 1% of frogs species, making these new species exceptionally interesting,” says H. Christoph Liedtke a co-author from the Spanish National Research Council, who has specialized in the evolution of amphibian reproductive modes.
120-year-old frog DNA
Back in 1905, a German researcher, Gustav Tornier, presented to the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin, the discovery of a toad from Tanzania that, astonishingly, gives birth to live young. At the time, it was the only known species of frog in the world to do so.
One of the newly described toad species, Nectophrynoides uhehe. Photo credit: Michele Menegon.
The frogs originally found by Tornier are today housed at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, and the research team were able to secure DNA from the original frogs using methods collectively known as ‘museomics’.
“Some of these specimens were collected over 120 years ago. Our museomics work was able to reveal exactly which populations those old specimens belonged to, giving us a lot more confidence for future work on these toads,” says Dr Alice Petzold of the University of Potsdam, who carried out the museomics portion of the study.
“Phylogenetic work from a few years ago had already let us know there was previously unrecognised diversity among these toads. But by travelling to different natural history museums and examining hundreds of preserved toads, I was able to get a better idea of their morphological diversity, so we could describe these new species,” says Christian Thrane from University of Copenhagen and first author on the study.
One of the newly described toad species, Nectophrynoides uhehe. Photo credit: Michele Menegon.
Protecting endangered species
Beyond its evolutionary interest, the discovery could have important implications for conservation. Many of these live-bearing toads inhabit small, fragmented habitats and are under threat from deforestation, mining, and climate change.
The new species are from the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) of Tanzania, an imperiled biodiversity hotspot famed for the many species that are found nowhere else on Earth. These mountains that rise from the plains are cloaked in lush forests, but Dr Michele Menegon, another coauthor on the study who works for a conservation organisation whose work focuses on forest protection, notes how highly fragmented these habitats are and that this is impacting the biodiversity, including the toads that dwell there.
Nectophrynoides species are often found near rainforest streams in the Eastern Arc mountains of Tanzania. Photo credit: Michele Menegon.
His colleague from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzia raises the same concern.
“The forests where these toads are known to occur are disappearing quickly,” says John V. Lyakurwa, a researcher from the University of Dar es Salaam, who has been studying amphibians in the EAM, including these toads, and a coauthor on the study.
Most of the tree toads are already on the brink of extinction, with one species in this genus, Nectophrynoides asperginis, already extinct in the wild, and another Nectophrynoides poyntoni not observed since its discovery in 2003. The future of these beautiful toads is very uncertain.
Original source
Thrane C, Lyakurwa JV, Liedtke HC, Menegon M, Petzold A, Loader SP, Scherz MD (2025) Museomics and integrative taxonomy reveal three new species of glandular viviparous tree toads (Nectophrynoides) in Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains (Anura: Bufonidae). Vertebrate Zoology 75: 459-485. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.75.e167008
