One of the world's tiniest frogs
I'd like to say, as a joke, that maybe this frog hasn't been found yet because it's so tiny? :) It's only about 10 millimeters in size, and can be compared to a small pill on your hand. The Lilliputian frog (Noblella sp. nov.) was found living underground in the cloud forests of Bolivia. It tunneled through the moss and the crusty litter of leaves, which is why it was extremely difficult to find.
2. New Indian viper named after Harry Potter character
A colorful new viper has been found in the Himalayas and named the Salazar Viper (Trimeresurus salazar) after Salazar Slytherin, the character from Harry Potter. The snake leads a nocturnal lifestyle and is rewarded with a beautiful bright orange stripe on its head (in males). Although the character in Joan Rowling's book was a devotee of the silver snake faculty, scientists thought it would be a nice and loud name for a bright green new species of snake.
3. A striking new velvet spider named after actor Joaquin Phoenix
A new species of spider has been found in Iran, and the patterns on the back of this animal reminded scientists of the smirk of the famous Joker character. They immediately rushed to name the spider after the popular actor Joaquin Phoenix, who played the role of the character of the same name in a feature film. The Phoenix doesn't measure more than 8 mm, but most interestingly, spiders of the species Loureedia, named after the late punk rocker Lou Reed, exhibit unique behaviors such as building community nests and caring for their cubs together.
4. Purple tree crab.
A new crab was found on the wooden piers of a bridge near the mangroves near a river called Chitari, India. It has a beautiful purple color and measures no more than 14 mm in width. Crabs are real helpers for mangroves. A large number of their burrows help feed the roots of plants with air. The species was named after the head of the Department of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries.
5. Transparent rainbow snake.
In Vietnam, researchers found an incredibly beautiful snake with iridescent scales (Achalinus zugorum). Until now it was quite difficult to find it for the same reasons as the miniature frog. This snake has a subterranean lifestyle, and some evidence suggests that this species evolved much earlier than most other snake species. The study of the rainbow snake could shed light on new aspects in the theory of evolution, but it is still very difficult to find underground.
6. Giant Scorpion.
A new scorpion was found during a nocturnal expedition in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. It was so named - Giant Yala Scorpion (Heterometrus yaleensis). Females can grow to more than 10 cm in length, while males are slightly smaller, up to 7.5 cm. They live in the forest and are found only on the island of Sri Lanka. Interest in scorpions among scientists increased after a series of fatal bites of another species, the Red Scorpion (Hottentotta tamulus). Scorpions are often caught by poachers and sold as pets.
7. Brilliant Salamander.
This salamander was actually found more than 50 years ago, but the species is only recognized as known to science after it has been officially described and published. Such was the case with this pretty sand salamander (Eurycea arenicola). It lives in small streams on sand hills in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is not known for what reason, but this amphibian was able to get its name only last year.
8. New wasps parasitizing spiders
Scientists have found 15 new species of wasps in the cloud forests of the Amazon, Brazil, in the Andes mountain range. One of these species you see in the photo above. All of the wasps found belonged to the same genus, and were engaged in leading parasitic lives on native spiders. The wasps would lay their eggs in the spiders, and they would force the spiders to stop their habitual lifestyle and obey. The spider would begin to weave a house for the new wasp, and once it had accomplished its mission, it would serve as food for it.
9. The new Giant Frog, which had been on the dinner table for a long time
If you've been to Madagascar, you should know that frog fritters or fried frog legs are on the menu in many establishments. They are raised by farmers in ponds and then presented to the table. One such frog, more than 10 cm in size, caught the attention of a researcher. Using genetic analysis, it was found that although this frog had long been known to locals, scientists knew absolutely nothing about it. It was named Radaka, which is how the locals called these frogs.
10. The beautiful and endangered species of langur
This discovery was one of the most startling. A new primate species was identified through the analysis of museum specimens. There are a total of 200-260 individuals of the new langur and they are in serious danger of extinction. The most resilient population known to man is nestled in an untouched patch of wilderness measuring 26 square kilometers. This threatens the animals that they will not be able to increase their numbers due to the
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