HURRAY! New Species!

A treasure trove of potential new species has been uncovered in a modern-day Garden of Eden in Colombia, scientists announced yesterday. They said the discoveries gave them hope that such biological frontiers could be saved from harm.



Among the 10 amphibian species that may be new to science are an orange-legged rain frog, three poison dart frogs and three transparent-skinned glass frogs.

The animals were cataloged during an expedition to the mountainous Tacarcura area of the Darien, near Colombia's border with Panama. Conservation International's experts on amphibians joined forces with bird experts from the Ecotropia Foundation, with the support of the area's indigenous Embera community.


During their three-week expedition, the scientists identified about 60 species of amphibians, 20 reptile species and almost 120 species of birds, many of them apparently found nowhere else, Conservation International reported. The expedition also came across several types of previously known large mammals — including the Baird's tapir, which is considered endangered in Colombia, four species of monkeys and populations of white-lipped peccary. Below are the Baird's tapir and the white-lipped peccary.




Robin Moore, Conservation International's amphibian conservation officer, said the Darien region has benefited from its remoteness. Until recently, its flora and fauna were relatively undisturbed. But this Eden is rapidly being despoiled: Conservation International said 25 to 30 percent of the area has been deforested already, due to logging, cattle ranching, illicit crop cultivation and other encroachments.


"The good thing is that the spotlight has been shone on this area," Moore said. He said the next steps would focus on strengthening the protected-area status of the Darien region, and creating a new protected area in the Tacarcuna hills.


"All too often we hear about doom and gloom, but I think we also need to be positive about what we can do to protect these areas," Moore said. "The fact that these areas still exist shows that we still have time, and we still have a chance."

In addition, there was "new species" news from Costa Rica last month.

Two new pinky-sized salamander species and one the size of a fingernail have been discovered crawling around in a remote Costa Rican forest.

The new species, found by botanist Alex Munro of the Natural History Museum, London, and colleagues while on expedition, are among 5,300 plants, insects and amphibians recorded during three explorations of La Amistad National Park on the Costa Rica–Panama border.

La Amistad is the biggest forest reserve in Central America, yet it remains one of the least explored places in the continent. These new discoveries increase the number of salamander species in Costa Rica from 40 to 43, making it a center of diversity for these amphibians.