PHOTOS: Top Ten New Species of 2007 Named

1. Ornate Sleeper Ray

With powerful suction capabilities, Electrolux addisoni—a species of electric ray—lives up to its scientific name.

Commonly called the ornate sleeper ray, Electrolux crowns the inaugural list of the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) top ten new species of 2007, which was released in May 2008.

The IISE, at Arizona State University, will release the ranking every year to draw attention to the importance of taxonomy and species exploration.

The winners—chosen from a pool of thousands—were based on peculiar names and unique and surprising attributes, among other criteria.


2. Giant Duck-Billed Dinosaur

Discovered by high school students in southern Utah in 2002, the above fossil dates back 75 million years and is one of the largest duck-billed dinosaurs ever found.

The massive skull was found to belong to a new species, Gryposaurus monumentensis, in 2007.

The International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) added the duck-billed dinosaur to its list of top ten new species of 2007, which was released in May 2008.




3. Shocking Pink Dragon Millipede

This newly discovered millipede from Thailand comes in at number three on the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) list of the top ten new species of 2007, released in May of this year.

The millipede's bright color helps to warn predators that it is not candy-coated, but is instead spiny and toxic.

The millipede's unusual habit of sitting in plain sight during the day probably also tells predators that it's inedible, researchers believe.


4. Sri Lankan Shrub Frog

A newly named frog species—which had been bottled up for nearly 150 years—has scored a spot on the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) top ten list of new species named in 2007, released in May 2008.

Scientists declared it a new species when the specimen was rediscovered last year. But the frog and a number of related species are likely now extinct, experts say.

Since the science of taxonomy was refined in the 18th century, scientists have recorded about 1.8 million species on Earth. Most experts estimate that there are close to ten million species on our planet.


5. Central Ranges Taipan

Discovered in an isolated and arid region of Australia in 2007, the Central Ranges taipan is one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

The snake slithered onto the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) list of the top ten new species of 2007 in part because accurate identification of species can help with proper treatment of bites.

The list, released in May 2008, draws attention to the need to flesh out biodiversity data, according to Quentin Wheeler, an entomologist and director of IISE.

"We only know 10 percent of the species out there, and therefore are powerless to recognize potential pests and vectors of disease," Wheeler said.


6. Mindoro Stripe-Faced Fruit Bat

The large and charismatic Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat is found only on the Philippine island of Mindoro.

The only other species in this genus was discovered by Alfred Russell Wallace, a colleague of Charles Darwin, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

The Mindoro bat ranks sixth on a top ten list of new species in 2007, released by the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) in May 2008.

Finding the Mindoro bat advances research on endemic species, which is why IISE included it on its annual list.


7. New Mushroom

A new fungus species, above, was discovered on the campus of Imperial College, London in 2007—growing right under the noses of some of the world's leading academics.

The new mushroom is one of the top ten new species in 2007, announced by the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) in May 2008.

"Most people do not realize just how incomplete our knowledge of Earth's species is or the steady rate at which taxonomists are exploring that diversity," said Quentin Wheeler, an entomologist and director of IISE.

"If you look at the size of the challenge, we need more people and better coordination," Wheeler told National Geographic News.


8. Lethal Jellyfish

This jellyfish species, Malo kingi, was named after American tourist Robert King, who died after apparently being stung by the species off northern Queensland in Australia.

News of the 2002 event helped raise awareness about this new potentially lethal species, which is included on the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) list of the top ten new species of 2007.

Discovering new species can also aid conservation efforts, according to IISE, which released the top ten list in May 2008.


9. Rhinoceros Beetle

A new rhinoceros beetle found in Peru has a hornlike structure on its head that had never been seen before—except in Dim, a character in the Disney/Pixar animated film A Bug's Life.

This bizarre feature made it one of the International Institute for Species Exploration's (IISE's) top ten new species of 2007, released in May 2008.

In real life, nearly 15,000 to 20,000 new species are discovered each year.


10. Michelin Man Plant

This bubbly plant found in western Australia made the 2007 top ten list of new species because it resembles the Michelin Man, according to the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE), which published the list in May 2008.

The species was found during an environmental impact survey for a mining company, and is one of 298 new plant species named last year in western Australia alone.

Source:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/photogalleries/species-photos/index.html