New Ardisia species found in Yunnan
Ardisia (coralberry or marlberry) is the largest genus of flowering plants in Myrsinoideae, Primulaceae, distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical Asia. Several revisions based on morphology have attempted to clarify the taxonomy and systematics.....»»
Urgent conservation efforts needed: Possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog Mantella cowanii
New research highlights the precarious status of one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibians, the harlequin mantella (Mantella cowanii), revealing small population sizes and the possible extirpation of the species from several of its historic habi.....»»
Paleontologists find omnivorous ancestor of the giant panda, revealing it was not always just a bamboo eater
The Hammerschmiede fossil site in southern Germany has yielded finds from about 11.5 million years ago that have rewritten evolutionary history. The sole species of bear discovered to date at the site was a relative of the giant panda. Its diet, howe.....»»
New "grumpy" fish species discovered in the Red Sea
A team of researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and the University of Washington has discovered a new species of fish that seems perpetually displeased. The researchers decided to call this new species the grumpy dwarf.....»»
Environment takes center stage as global summits loom
Global warming. Disappearing plant and animal species. Fertile land turning to desert. Plastic in the oceans, on land, and the air we breathe......»»
Temperature fluctuations found to mar fish quality of large yellow croaker
Large yellow croaker is a highly nutritious and economically valuable mariculture species, but its perishable nature poses significant challenges in storage and transport. Cold chain logistics play a crucial role in maintaining seafood quality, but f.....»»
New fossil fish species scales up evidence of Earth"s evolutionary march
Climate change and asteroids are linked with animal origin and extinction—and plate tectonics also seems to play a key evolutionary role, "groundbreaking" new fossil research reveals......»»
Trilobite fossils from upstate New York reveal "extra" set of legs
A new study finds that a trilobite species with exceptionally well-preserved fossils from upstate New York has an additional set of legs underneath its head. The research, led by the American Museum of Natural History and Nanjing University in China,.....»»
Pair of rare Amur tiger cubs debuting at Minnesota Zoo are raising hopes for the endangered species
A pair of rare Amur tiger cubs are making their public debut at the Minnesota Zoo, raising hopes for preserving an endangered species that's native to far eastern Russia and northern China......»»
Modeling study explains why amazon is such a biodiverse paradise
The Amazon rainforest is home to a remarkable variety of plants and animals not found anywhere else on Earth, with some species only located in certain areas, but the reason for this has perplexed and divided scientists for decades......»»
Endangered species rebounds in California a century after being wiped out
All on its own, an endangered species is making a fierce comeback in California, newly published state wildlife data show......»»
X-ray footage shows how Japanese eels escape from a predator’s stomach
It took escaping eels 56 seconds on average to free themselves from death. Enlarge / "The only species of fish confirmed to be able to escape from the digestive tract of the predatory fish after being captured.” (credit: Hasega.....»»
Whales are recovering from near extinction, but industrial fishing around Antarctica competes for their sole food source
The Southern Ocean encircling Antarctica is the world's largest feeding ground for baleen whales—species like humpbacks that filter tiny organisms from seawater for food. In the 20th century, whalers killed roughly 2 million large whales in the Sou.....»»
Opinion: Researchers don"t take enough account of variation in biology—doing so could unlock new understanding
The natural world is filled with variety. Ecological systems can look very different in different parts of the Earth. Every species has genetic variation, which means individuals can look and behave very differently. Diseases can affect people differ.....»»
Researchers sequence the genome of the spur-thighed tortoise
Like many threatened land turtle species, the spur-thighed tortoise had no complete genome. Now for the first time, researchers from the Ecology departments at Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) and the University of Alicante (UA) have succe.....»»
How viruses move through insects for transmission of diseases
Viruses are master parasites that have adapted to infect many host species. Some viruses even use multiple hosts to spread their infections—such as arboviruses that use insects to move their infections to mammalian hosts like humans. Understanding.....»»
Genetic analysis reveals new giant fanged frog species in Philippines that is nearly identical to even larger species
Researchers from the University of Kansas have published findings in the journal Ichthyology & Herpetology describing a new species of fanged frog, named Limnonectes cassiopeia, from the Philippine island of Luzon......»»
Farming at the edges of nature reserves is helping exotic species invade New Zealand, finds study
Native shrublands were once common across the Canterbury Plains, but over time, conversion of land to other uses, including irrigated pasture, has contributed to their gradual decline. Now, a new study by scientists at Manaaki Whenua—Landcare Resea.....»»
Video evidence: Japanese eels escape from their predator"s stomach
Many prey species have defensive tactics to escape being eaten by their would-be predators. But a study published in Current Biology on September 9, 2024 has taken it to another level by offering the first video evidence of juvenile Japanese eels esc.....»»
To save its tigers, India has relocated thousands of people—it could enlist their help instead
British colonialism turned India's tigers into trophies. Between 1860 and 1950, more than 65,000 were shot for their skins. The fortunes of the Bengal tiger, one of Earth's biggest species of big cat, did not markedly improve post-independence. The h.....»»
Bunyip birds and brolgas: How can we better protect species important to Indigenous people?
Kamilaroi Country lies in far northwest New South Wales, past Tamworth and crossing over the Queensland border. Here, the bunyip bird (Australasian bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus), and the brolga (Grus rubicunda or burraalga in Kamilaroi) have been.....»»