2,000 Species New to Science from One Island

Posted on December 4, 2008  Comments (1)

photo of squat lobster

Photograph by Dr Tin-Yam Chan, University of Keelung

153 scientists from 20 countries fanned out across the remote South Pacific island of Espiritu Santo, examining mountains, forests, caves, reefs, and water for all living organisms. In five months, they collected 10,000 species. Some 2,000 of these may be new to science.

This squat lobster, found in waters 150 meters (492 feet) deep, is one of the new species. Eighty percent of the world’s species remain to be discovered, notes French scientist Philippe Bouchet, one of the expedition’s leaders.

A World of Crabs from One Tiny Island

About 600 of these were crab species. The two-horn box crab is able to crack and peel open snails’ shells using a sharp “tooth” on its right claw to cut open shells and long, slender “fingers” on the left claw to yank out its prey.

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One Response to “2,000 Species New to Science from One Island”

  1. Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog » 40 New Species Found in Papua New Guinea
    September 12th, 2009 @ 12:14 pm

    The rat that’s the size of a cat: 40 new species in ‘lost world’ at a remote volcano in Papua New Guinea…

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