In the past two years, hundreds of novel species of plants and animals have been discovered in the lower Mekong region, according to new research issued on Monday. Among them are an aggressive color-changing lizard, a dangerous snake named after a goddess in Chinese mythology, and an orchid that resembles a muppet.
According to a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), hundreds of scientists from around the world discovered 175 new species in 2021 and 205 in 2022 in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
“These remarkable species may be new to science, but they have survived and evolved in the Greater Mekong region for millions of years, reminding us humans that they were there a very long time before our species moved into this region,” said K. Yoganand, WWF-Greater Mekong regional wildlife lead.
“We have an obligation to do everything to stop their extinction and protect their habitats, and help their recovery.”
One of the recently recognized species is a thick-thumbed, mouse-eared bat, a specimen of which spent 20 years at a museum in Hungary. A plant gathered in the 1930s that was just recently confirmed by a fresh team of experts to be a distinct species is another that is highlighted in the paper.
A number of additional novel species are threatened by human activity. Agricultural encroachment, logging, and local gathering for medicinal purposes threaten a Thai crocodile newt in Vietnam, while a casino, dam, and residential development in Cambodia are destroying an evergreen shrub.
The number of species on Earth is estimated to be 8.7 million
The report is released on Biodiversity Day, which is promoted by the UN to raise knowledge and awareness of issues related to biodiversity around the world.
The number of species on Earth is estimated to be 8.7 million, but only 1.6 million of them have been recognized, leaving more than 80 percent of species unknown, according to a 2011 research.
The government should strengthen protection for endangered animals and their ecosystems, the wildlife conservation group urged, as many species are already in danger of going extinct as a result of human activity.
The new species are “under intense pressure from deforestation, habitat degradation, road development, loss of streams and rivers, pollution, diseases spread by human activities, competition from invasive species, and the devastating impacts of illegal wildlife trade,” WWF said.
“Sadly, many species go extinct before they are even discovered.”
A senior Vietnamese scientist said discoveries of new species help fill the knowledge gap about what exists in the natural world.
“They also fill us, the researchers, with wonder and trepidation – wonder that there are still countless species yet to be found, and trepidation that there isn’t enough time to find, understand and conserve them,” said Truong Q. Nguyen, vice director at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology.
“The Greater Mekong region is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot – also known as the Indo-Burma hotspot,” Nguyen said in the report’s foreword.
Listed here are a few of the newly discovered species:
Calotes goetzi, 2021
The aggressive lizard known as the Cambodian blue-crested agama, also called the Siamese blue-crested lizard, can alter its color as a form of defense. It is a strong climber and mostly eats insects. It was recognized by examining lizards discovered close to an Angkor archaeological site. Additionally, it is present in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, China, and Laos.
Cleyera bokorensis, 2021
It is an evergreen plant that was first discovered on Mount Bokor in 1933 and misidentified until 2021 as a different species. It is also found in Vietnam. According to WWF, human encroachment in Vietnam and threats from a casino, dam, and housing development in Cambodia already pose a threat to the plant. It is mainly found near moving water in wooded settings, and there are thought to be fewer than 2,500 in each nation.
Dendrobium fuscifaucium, 2022
A vibrant small pink and yellow orchid that resembles the Muppets from television was found in the capital city of Vientiane’s market for wild plants. Researchers claim that they have not been able to locate it in the wild. Between 1996 and 2015, 1.1 billion live orchid plants were reportedly traded globally, primarily legally. However, human trafficking and excessive wild harvesting pose risks to several species.
Dixonius somchanhae, 2021
This new species of gecko, which is native to Laos, was found in a forest close to the Huaysorn-Huaysua village in Vientiane. It carries the name of Somchanh Bounphanmy, a National University of Laos assistant professor who assisted the writers’ research. According to WWF, it can be spotted at night on sandstone rocks in secondary forests. It has never been observed before.