In 2012, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 137 new relatives to our family tree, enriching our understanding of the complex web of life on Earth and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 83 arthropods, 41 fishes, seven plants, four sea slugs, one reptile, and one amphibian. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators.During these times, when we are facing the planet’s sixth mass extinction, species may be disappearing before we have a chance to find and describe them. How can we know what to protect, if we don’t know that it exists in the first plac
Dr. Terry Gosliner, Dean of Science and Research Collections at the Academy »Proving that there are still plenty of places to explore and things to discover on Earth, the scientists made their finds over four continents and two oceans, ventured into remote caves and descended to the bottom of the sea, looked in their owns backyards (California) and on the other side of the world (China). Their results, published in 29 different scientific papers, help advance the Academy’s research into two of the most important scientific questions of our time: “How did life evolve?” and “How will it persist?”
“The ongoing discovery of new species is an important function of systematics-based institutions like the California Academy of Sciences,” said Dr. Terry.
A few highlights among the 137 species described by the Academy this year:
A New Family of Spiders — with Claws
The forests of the Pacific Northwest are renowned for their unique and ancient animals and plants, such as coast redwoods, tailed frogs, mountain beavers — and now, a large, newly discovered spider. Trogloraptor (or “cave robber”) is named for its cave home and spectacular, elongate claws. It is a spider so evolutionarily special that it represents not only a new genus and species, but also a new family (Trogloraptoridae). Even for the species-rich insects and arachnids, to discover a new, previously unknown family is rare — it’s been more than 100 years since the description of an entirely new spider family from North America.
Trogloraptor hangs beneath rudimentary webs beneath cave ceilings. It is about four centimetres wide when its legs are extended — larger than the size of a half-dollar coin. Its extraordinary, raptorial claws suggest that it is a fierce, specialised predator, but its prey and attack behaviour remain unknown.
A team of citizen scientists and arachnologists found these spiders living in caves in southwest Oregon.
Trogloraptor was not the only new cave spider described in 2012: in another study involving spelunking, Academy scientists and their colleagues described ten new spider species (Tayshaneta spp.) living in central Texas caves.
The forests of the Pacific Northwest are renowned for their unique and ancient animals and plants, such as coast redwoods, tailed frogs, mountain beavers — and now, a large, newly discovered spider. Trogloraptor (or “cave robber”) is named for its cave home and spectacular, elongate claws. It is a spider so evolutionarily special that it represents not only a new genus and species, but also a new family (Trogloraptoridae). Even for the species-rich insects and arachnids, to discover a new, previously unknown family is rare — it’s been more than 100 years since the description of an entirely new spider family from North America.
Trogloraptor hangs beneath rudimentary webs beneath cave ceilings. It is about four centimetres wide when its legs are extended — larger than the size of a half-dollar coin. Its extraordinary, raptorial claws suggest that it is a fierce, specialised predator, but its prey and attack behaviour remain unknown.
A team of citizen scientists and arachnologists found these spiders living in caves in southwest Oregon.
Trogloraptor was not the only new cave spider described in 2012: in another study involving spelunking, Academy scientists and their colleagues described ten new spider species (Tayshaneta spp.) living in central Texas caves.
The Jaguar Shark Lives…
The California Academy of Sciences sent its first scientific expedition to the Galapagos Islands in 1905 and has since organised dozens of return trips. As a result, the Academy is now home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of scientific specimens from these famous islands. In 2012, Academy scientists and colleagues described a new species of Galapagos catshark (Bythaelurus giddingsi) collected from depths of 1,400 — 1,900 feet via submersible. It is approximately a foot long and has a chocolate-brown colouration with pale, irregularly distributed spots on its body. The authors chose “jaguar catshark” as the common name for the new species, partly because of its spotted pattern, and partly because it bears a striking resemblance to the mythical “Jaguar Shark” seen cruising the dark depths in The Life Aquatic, the Wes Anderson film for which the authors have a particular fondness.
For a full list of species, including geographic information, look here.The California Academy of Sciences sent its first scientific expedition to the Galapagos Islands in 1905 and has since organised dozens of return trips. As a result, the Academy is now home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of scientific specimens from these famous islands. In 2012, Academy scientists and colleagues described a new species of Galapagos catshark (Bythaelurus giddingsi) collected from depths of 1,400 — 1,900 feet via submersible. It is approximately a foot long and has a chocolate-brown colouration with pale, irregularly distributed spots on its body. The authors chose “jaguar catshark” as the common name for the new species, partly because of its spotted pattern, and partly because it bears a striking resemblance to the mythical “Jaguar Shark” seen cruising the dark depths in The Life Aquatic, the Wes Anderson film for which the authors have a particular fondness.
(Source: California Academy of Sciences press release, 06.12.2012)
