It's that time of year again. But rather than focus on the frightening, we're turning our attention to the fascinating. Researchers recently uncovered a slew of species new to science that'll fit right in with a cast of Halloweeny creatures. Tube-nosed bats, a trapdoor spider and a carnivorous “death-ball” sponge are here to make your All Hallow's Eve just a little more interesting.
Tube-Nosed Bats
The Philippines has some of the world's most distinctive mammal fauna and it proved that once again with the recent discovery of not one, not two, but six new species of tube-nosed bats. The recently described bat species, weighing in at just 4 to 14 grams each, form part of a collection gathered over many years, but only recently identified as unique species. "This latest research serves to illustrate how much remains unknown about the countless species with which we coexist," explains Dr. Judith Eger, Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Royal Ontario Museum. "Expanding our knowledge of biodiversity is essential to understanding and managing our environment on behalf of humanity and the other species on which the vitality of our planet depends."
Researchers used a number of morphological examination and genetic testing techniques to identify the new bats, which included examining tooth pattern, skull shape, fur banding and other visible characteristics. Tube-nosed bats are insect eaters and depend on forested areas for roosting. Like all bats, they play a critical ecological function, but are at threat from habitat destruction. Halloween wouldn't be the same without these winged mammals, so the more the merrier, we say.
Trapdoor Spider
Trapdoor spiders are made for Halloween. These ambush hunters spend their entire lives in underground silk-lined burrows sealed with hinged, camouflaged doors. When unsuspecting prey wanders by, they burst from their subterranean lairs to snatch a meal. Researchers at the University of California, Davis recently uncovered a brand new species of spider that was hiding in plain sight in Cali's coastal sand dunes. Aptostichus ramirezae was previously thought to belong to an already described species, but genomic DNA analysis revealed that what once looked like one is in fact two.
“While there are over 50,000 species of spiders worldwide, there are probably hundreds of thousands left to be discovered, even along the coast where new spider species may be hiding just underfoot of California beachgoers,” said senior author Jason Bond, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
"Death-ball" Sponge
Deep-sea creatures are fodder for horror-movie scripts, so the recent discovery of a carnivorous "death-ball" sponge is the perfect addition to our Halloween species roundup. The predatory sponge was just one of over thirty unknown species discovered by scientists sampling the depths of the Southern Ocean. Chondrocladia sp. nov. takes a spherical form and is covered in tiny hooks used to trap prey, a different approach to that of most passive filter-feeding sponges.
“The Southern Ocean remains profoundly undersampled,” said Dr Michelle Taylor, head of science at the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, which carried out the expedition. “To date, we have only assessed under 30% of the samples collected from this expedition, so confirming 30 new species already shows how much biodiversity is still undocumented.”
Header image: The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census
New Species
Predator vs Prey
Eerie Evolution
