Relocating Species Found in Development Sites

The most distinguished event to take place on the planet Earth was the origin of life and its evolution into all forms of living beings that existed in the past and those which survived to the present.

Even by the most wild of human imagination life on the Earth could not have been what we see it, and take it for granted.

Imagine a situation, that you may believe, life could not have existed under a particularly harsh environment. To your surprise, on an investigation, it will reveal you that life does exist under that environment, and is thriving!

The plasticity of living beings to adapt and evolve over time in any niche is truly amazing and speaks of the inherent capacities that the living organisms have.

Sadly, thousands of species of organisms have been made extinct by natural events, and continue to be wiped out from the planet due to human interference with the natural environment and its unique ecosystems.

Our entire existence on this planet is dependent upon the biodiversity resources. While material resources are of economic importance for development related activities, these no substitute to the services provided by biological resources.

Biological resources provide ecological, environmental, dietary and energy needs which can’t be replaced by any other natural or man made resource. Plants fix the energy derived from the Sun in the form of food. In our food chain all energy derived ultimately comes from the energy fixed by plants.

During any development activity, while large trees and water bodies may be seen as those directly affected, there are on the ground, or under the soil, a plethora of organisms which are uprooted and destroyed.Landscape planning and development needs to consider biodiversity protection.

In the soil inhabit large number of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, known and unknown, and small arthropods (insects, spiders, centipedes, scorpions) that may be destroyed in the land under development.

How careful are development or other agencies when the farms are converted into residential colonies to  investigate beforehand the biodiversity of the area, no matter how big or small is the project. This micro-planning is almost absent everywhere?

During the development of a site, agencies occasionally come across a wide variety of worms wriggling out from within the ground. Most often, there are no means to report, catalogue, identify and preserve those organisms found during development.

Molecular Biology versus Systematics and Classification:

We hear of human research endeavors to the far off virgin lands and discovery of new species but we ignore the unreported species right under our feet.

I had found a small frog of the size of a housefly which I was unable to identify. Initially, when I first sighted it, I was not able to identify it because it was tiny, climbing over the tiles of my bathroom.

I could realize it was a frog only when I put on my glasses. A yellow-colored frog of a very small size. It had a yellow pattern on its skin. There could be more wonders in our places. What about facilities to readily identify such new discoveries.

The current studies in biology are dominated by a greater focus on molecular and genetic approaches. We notice that there is ignorance of what genetics ultimately manifests and empowers: a full blown and thriving organism.

While it is important to know the underlying molecular functions of a living being, it is equally important to search, identify, classify and protect species which are under stress and have the least chances to survive.

During a development activity, therefore, it is important to keep a vigil by those interested in biodiversity preservation and protection, about the discovery of a significant population of a species in the area under development.

All such displaced organisms must be identified and relocated in the same area or a similar ecosystem. 

All that Grows In Wild Is Beautiful

Invariably advocacy programs for conservation of biodiversity focus on conservation of animals which have some sort of a celebrity status like tiger, crocodile and turtles. Some themes like ‘marine biodiversity’ are also used to impress upon the value of biodiversity.  

To me this is underplaying the importance of the very broad meaning and importance of the term biodiversity in a holistic context.

To me we should talk aggressively about the importance of every creature on the earth, be it a pest or parasite, economically important or not, small or big, bat or bed bug, bird or bee, crow or owl, bamboo or rose, snake or frog, elephant or mouse.

A wild grass in full bloom

The term biodiversity is more suited to the setting of  a wild environment: all that exists in a wild setting  with no or the least human invasion.  Everything there grows  naturally, sustains in a competitive natural environment and evolves. 

The term biodiversity must give us the feel of the real extent of diversity existing in the nature, the purpose, its scale or grandness, the value, ecological, environmental and biological and  our responsibility to stop the damage to it.

The other day I saw a variety of grass in full bloom growing in the vacant plot of a residential area. This area was until few years back a field with all its variety of flora and fauna.

Now the original flora of this area in under an assault. Very soon, when the house come up on this plot, and other plots, in the vicinity this flora typical to the place will vanish and we will have beautiful houses replacing those wild plants!

And powerful masters will be sitting in their lawns flaunting some prized species of ornamental plants.

This world is some how turning into a world of celebrities, celebrity men and animals as if there is no importance, place or role for others.

In fact, what grows in the natural world is far more superior biologically than those of ornamental value.

What grows in the wild is hardy, it has power to survive in the adverse climates, and thrive like this wild grass in full bloom. Their natural strength is manifested in their beauty and power to survive!

Return to My Blog

There has been an unusual delay in updating this blog. The latest post was in the last November. Of course not a very healthy sign for a blog to keep going in its objective.  A lot of changes have since taken place all around us. 

During this intervening period my engagement with several writing assignments, one after the other, kept me busy burning midnight oil. In the next few posts, I will share the knowledge I acquired doing those assignments which were undoubtedly not unrelated to our concern for environment and conservation.

Of late I have also realized that this blog needs to be freed from the tight jacket of hardcore contents related to Biodiversity in its posts. After all Biodiversity is a subject that concerns citizens more than the experts because the later are mere custodian of knowledge who research, learn and practice through application of conservation programs.

Awareness about Biodiversity conservation is now a subject matter that concerns more the public, because a strong public understanding of its importance alone can take the conservation efforts forward.

The fascinating view of the diversity of life in surroundings is very pleasing and linked to our natural urge that must be fulfilled even if it is a sparrow or a butterfly flying across the window pane. The more the better!

Functional Traits For Fish Biodiversity Assessment Offer New Opportunity In Conservation

An interesting idea put forward by a research study has redefined the ways biodiversity assessment may be taken up in future.

Traditionally, biodiversity of a place is determined by identifying number of different species or “species richness” as the basis global diversity pattern since the times of Darwin and Linnaeus. This has also constituted as the biological basis for management of threatened ecosystems.

However, a  study conducted by a global team studying reef fishes has revealed that by considering a species’ role in an ecosystem and the number of  individuals within a species, new hot spots of biodiversity can be identified.

The study, led by Dr. Rick Stuart-Smith of the University ofTasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, includes researchers, Jon Lefcheck and Professor Emmett Duffy of the Virginia Institute of MarineSciences, and scientists from Spain, and researchers from other places.

The study is based on information collected through the Reef Life Survey program, which is a “citizen science” initia­tive developed in Tasmania. The RLS program operates worldwide training recreational SCUBA divers to survey numbers of reef animals and supporting their research endeavors.

Over 100 dedicated divers have contributed to the project by looking at ecological patterns and processes impossible for scientific dive teams to cover.

As pointed out by Lefcheck, counting species is a really coarse way of understanding diversity. Gathering information, instead, on other animal’s traits—what they eat, how they move, where they live— can provide understanding of their dissimilarity, the very essence of diversity.

The study provides a fresh look at biodiversity assessment. Unlike biodiversity censuses which count species, collecting information on species role in ecosys­tems, which needs to know, how abundant they are and what they’re doing, is difficult to get.

The study is based on analysis of data from 4,357 standardized surveys, spanned over 133 degrees of latitude finding 2,473 different species of fish by RLS divers at 1,844 coral and rocky reef sites worldwide. This study is claimed to the first comprehensive study with new approach, and this  undoubtedly offers a different perspective of global diversity map.

The research team noted how the members of each of these species make a living, using a detailed matrix of “functional traits”,  which included what the fishes eat (plankton, inver­tebrates, algae, other fish, or a combination), how they eat (browsing, scraping, or predation), where they live (in, on, or near the bottom or free-swimming), weather active at night or during the day, and how gregarious they are (solitary, paired, or schooling).

By determining the biology and ecology of these fishes—noting what they do and how they do it—alters hotspots of diversity. Though coral reefs are the most species-rich habitats on earth, the trait-based view identifies new areas where the diversity of ways in which fishes function is even higher.

The study reveals that functional biodiversity is highest in places like the Galápagos with only moderate species counts, whereas functional biodiversity is low in many classical hotspots with high species counts, such as the iconic coral triangle of the west Pacific.

It is interesting to note that in coral reefs having lots of species, many are doing largely the same thing, whereas in temperate reefs with many fewer species, species tend to spread individuals out among species doing different things.

The study findings have important implications for planning and management, because incorporating information on func­tional traits into monitoring programs will add an extra dimension and greater ecological relevance to global efforts to manage and conserve marine biodi­versity.

APP Released to Promote East Indies Fishes Among Masses

​​ The US based agency Conservation International (CI) has announced the release of  the “Reef Fishes Of The East Indies” mobile app, a digital guide to every known reef fish species in the most biodiverse region on the planet, based on the book of the same title.

The objective is sharing  knowledge on reef fish of the region which is of great value to the regions biodiversity. This app will increase motivation and momentum for conservation to ensure that the region’s species and their delicate ecosystems are allowed to stay balance.

Maintaining this natural capital is key to the region’s important tourism industry, and other ecosystem services the ocean provides the people.

The comprehensive guide  includes over 2,500 reef fishes of which 25 species are new to science. It summarizes 60 years of research and exploration and brings greater understanding and valuation of the immense biodiversity of reef fish in the East Indies.

The scientist authors, Mark Erdmann and Gerry Allen, have spent much of their lives at sea discovering, studying and conserving some of the most rare and beautiful fish in the world. The proceeds of this CI produced app will support CI Indonesia’s marine conservation program.

Designed for iPad and Kindle Fire, the app "Reef Fishes of the East Indies" enables users to use it at sea, with no internet connection. The app contains many useful and interactive features including search, note-taking and drawing features, detailed entries for each species, and photo-sharing by e-mail and social media.

A perfect digital guide for divers and nature lovers to use in the office, school, home or out on the open sea, it was originally created as a book but later made into an app to bring this information to the masses in an easy to access, transportable format.

The coverage area of the app includes the Coral Triangle (including Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands) which alone boasts 37% of the world’s coral reef fish species.

It covers all shallow-water (0-75m) reef-associated fish species known from the region, including both obligate reef dwellers and those that are commonly observed passing through reef areas or in the soft bottom areas just adjacent to reefs.

From the majestic manta ray (Manta birostris) to the gorgeous, jewel-like mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus), with 2,655 species in over 3,000 Retina Display/High Definition photos, the sheer quantity of content is split between three volumes for iPad that link together seamlessly, so you can move instantly between one volume and another.

Organized by Classification, Family, and Species, the app will be regularly updated to keep up with the scientists’ new discoveries. Scientists have very recently found a new species of “walking” Bamboo Shark (Hemiscyllium halmahera) in the waters off the Maluku Islands, Indonesia.

Education and Awareness Necessary to Protect Biodiversity in India

This article from Mr. Mohd. Haider, who is by education M.Sc in Biotechnology and holds a bachelor degree in education. He is interested in pursuing a career in environment, conservation and teaching. We invite similar articles from other interested readers. The article by Mr. Haider is reproduced below, along with his contact e-mail at the end:

Mohd. Haider

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

India is one of the very important regions in the world as for as biodiversity on planet Earth is concerned. There are 18 “biodiversity hotspots” in Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas. Forest found in these regions are highly dense and there exists incredible biodiversity. Overall, India is estimated to have over 45,000 plant species and 80,000 animal species representing 7% of world’s flora and 6.5 % of fauna.

Biodiversity refers to the variation of life forms including species diversity and species richness on the entire planet. The term biological diversity was used first by wildlife scientist and conservationist Raymond F. Dasmann in the 1968. Biodiversity is not evenly distributed; rather it varies greatly across the globe as well as within regions. The diversity depends upon temperature, altitude, soil, geographical location etc., it also depends upon the ecosystem.

Biodiversity in the tropics is of special interest since the richness of species found there is so great. According to some estimates, 90 percent of all plant, animal, and insect species exist in tropical regions. At the same time, surveys of organisms in the tropics have been very limited. As an example, one study of a 108-square kilometer (42-square mile) reserve of dry forest in Costa Rica found about 700 plant species, 400 vertebrate species, and 13,000 species of insects. Included among the latter group were 3,140 species of moth and butterflies alone.

One reason for the growing interest in biodiversity is the threat that human activities may pose for plant and animal species. As humans take over more land for agriculture, cities, highways, and other uses, natural habitats are seriously disrupted. Whole populations may be destroyed, upsetting the balance of nature that exists in an area. The loss of a single plant, for example, may result in the loss of animals that depend on that plant for food. The loss of those animals may, in turn, result in the loss of predators that prey on those animals.

A recent discovered method put the total number of species on Earth at 8.7 million of which 2.1 million were estimated to live in the ocean. Brazil’s forest is considered one such hot spot, containing roughly 20,000 plant species, 1,350 vertebrates, and millions of insects, about half of which occur nowhere else. The island of Madagascar particularly the unique Madagascar dry deciduous forests and lowland rain forests, possess a high ratio of endemism. Since the island separated from mainland Africa 65 million years ago, many species and ecosystems have evolved independently. 

Indonesia's 17,000 islands cover 735,355 square miles (1,904,560 km²) contain 10% of the world's flowering plants, 12% of mammals and 17% of  reptiles, amphibians and birds—along with nearly 240 million people. Many regions of high biodiversity and/or endemism arise from specialized habitats which require unusual adaptations, for example alpine environments in high mountains.

Terrestrial biodiversity is up to 25 times greater than ocean biodiversity; biodiversity supports ecosystem services including air quality, climate, water purification, pollination and prevention of soil erosion. Biodiversity supports many ecosystem services that are often not readily visible Biodiversity enriches leisure activities such as hiking, bird watching etc. Popular activities such as gardening, fish keeping and specimen collecting strongly depend on biodiversity. 

The number of species involved in such pursuits is in the tens of thousands. During the last century, decreases in biodiversity have been increasingly observed. According to some estimates up to 30% of all species will be extinct by 2050. Of these, about one eighth of known plant species are threatened with extinction. Estimates reach as high as 140,000 species per year (based on Species-area theory). These figures are a cause of concern and indicate prevalence of unsustainable ecological practices.

In 2006 many species were formally classified as rare or endangered or threatened; moreover, scientists have estimated that millions more species are at risks which have not been formally recognized. About 40 percent of the 40,177 species assessed using the IUCN Red List criteria are now listed as threatened with extinction—a total of 16,119. As human populations grow, the threat to biodiversity will continue to grow with it. And as more people place greater stress on the natural environment, greater will be the loss of resources plant and animal communities need to survive.

Biodiversity has special importance in India because the traditional communities have been closely associated with the conservation of our fauna and flora. We need to educate and make our communities aware of the scientific importance of biodiversity and encourage communities to conserve biodiversity. It is heartening India has strong conservation laws and regulations. But their implementation is lacking. Education and awareness at every level right from the grassroots to the policy making is essential to achieve the objective of sustainable development!

References:

 1.    Raup, D. M. (1994). "The role of extinction in evolution”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 91 (15) 6758–6763.

2.     “The Cambrian Period". University of California Museum of Paleontology. Retrieved May 17, 2012.

 

3.     Sahney, S. and Benton, M.J. (2008). "Recovery from the most profound mass extinction of all time"

4.   Bambach, R.K.; Knoll, A.H.; Wang, S.C. (December 2004)."Origination, extinction, and mass  depletions of marine diversity".

5.      Dasmann, R. F. 1968. A Different Kind of Country. MacMillan Company, New York.

6.      "Robert E. Jenkins". Nature.org. 2011-08-18. Retrieved 2011-09-24.

7.     Ramanujan, Krishna (2 December 2010). "Study: Loss of species is bad for your health".

8.     Water and Development: An Evaluation of World Bank Support, 1997-2007. Vol.I., p.79.

9.     http://www.scienceclarified.com/As-Bi/Biodiversity.html

Contact mail: mohdhaiderbt@gmail.com

Conserving Biodiversity Is Essential For Human Economic Security and Survival

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through its international news release of 19th June has cautioned the world that "the source of our food, medicines and clean water, as well the livelihoods of millions of people may be at risk with the rapid decline of the world’s animal, plant and fungi species".

The IUCN released its latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, on 19th June on the eve of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.

The list shows that of the 63,837 species assessed, 19,817 are threatened with extinction: the most threatened group is of amphibians (41%), folowed by reef building corals (33%), mammals (25%), birds (13%), and conifers (30%).

“Sustainability is a matter of life and death for people on the planet,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN. “A sustainable future cannot be achieved without conserving biological diversity - animal and plant species, their habitats and their genes - not only for nature itself, but also for all 7 billion people who depend on it." 

                                                                                                          A film by IUCN

The latest IUCN Red List was a clarion call to world leaders who gathered in Rio to secure the web of life on this planet. Wealthy countries depend primarily on few domesticated species for their dietary needs, but globally millions of other people are dependent on hundreds of wild species.

Freshwater ecosystems are under substantial pressure from expanding human populations and exploitation of water resources. An important food source, freshwater fish are facing threats from unsustainable fishing practices and habitat destruction caused by pollution and the construction of dams.

A quarter of the world’s inland fisheries are located on the African continent, yet 27% of freshwater fish in Africa are threatened including the Oreochromis karongae, an extremely important source of food in the Lake Malawi region that has been severely overfished. In the latest IUCN Red List update the Mekong Herring (Tenualosa thibaudeaui), an important commercial fish endemic to the lower Mekong River in the Indo-Burma region, has been listed as vulnerable as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation.

Fishing constitutes main source of food and primary income in 90% of coastal populations in several parts of the world, but overfishing has led to decline of commercial fish stocks by over 90%. Currently 36% of skates and rays are threatened with extinction including the commercially valuable Leopard Ray (Himantura leoparda), which is listed as now a vulnerable species due to extensive habitat degradation and fishing pressure.

More than 275 million people are dependent on coral reefs for food, coastal protection and livelihoods. Globally, coral reef fisheries are worth USD 6.8 billion annually. Overfishing affects 55% of the world’s reefs. According to the IUCN Red List, 18% of groupers, an economically important family of large reef fish, are threatened. It is therefore imperative that Coral reefs must be protected and managed sustainably to ensure them as source of essential food that millions of people rely on as a source of protein.

“The services and economic value that species provide are irreplaceable and essential to our wellbeing,” says Jon Paul Rodríguez, Deputy Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC). “Unless we live within the limits set by nature, and manage our natural resources sustainably, more and more species will be driven towards extinction. If we ignore our responsibility we will compromise our own survival.”

Crop wild relatives, such as the Critically Endangered Beta patula, a primary wild relative of cultivated beets, are of vital importance for food security and agriculture as they can be used to produce new crop varieties. It is estimated that crop wild relatives contribute more than USD 100 billion worldwide towards increased crop yields.

Production of at least one third of the world’s food, including 87 of the 113 leading food crops, depends on pollination carried out by insects, bats and birds. This ecosystem service is worth over USD 200 billion per year. According to the IUCN Red List 16% of Europe’s endemic butterflies are threatened. Bats, which are also important pollinators, are also at risk with 18% threatened globally.

The latest IUCN Red List update shows that four members of the hummingbird family, which is known for its pollination services, are now at greater risk of extinction with the Pink-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis) listed as Vulnerable. In addition to their important pollination roles, bats and birds also aid in controlling insect populations that may otherwise destroy economically important agricultural plants.


Invasive alien species are one of the leading and most rapidly growing threats to food security, human and animal health and biodiversity. A recent analysis of IUCN Red List data highlighted invasive alien species as the fifth most severe threat to amphibians, and the third most severe threat to birds and mammals.

Together with climate change, invasive alien species have become one of the most difficult threats to reverse. For example, Water Hyacinth (Eichnornia crassipes) is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin, but in Africa its rapid spread poses a significant threat to water supplies and the use of inland waters for fishing or transportation. The economic impacts may be as much as USD 100 million annually across all of Africa.

Solutions incorporating awareness and prevention measures, as well as early warning and rapid response systems that include containment, control and eradication programmes, need to be implemented on both a regional and global scale in order to reduce the negative effects of alien species.

The latest IUCN Red List shows that 10% of snakes endemic to China and South East Asia are threatened with extinction. Snakes are unsustainably used in traditional medicines and anti-venom serum, as food, and as a source of income from the sale of skins. Nearly 43% of the endemic snake species in South East Asia which are in the Endangered and Vulnerable categories are threatened, and this trend ought to be reversed.

The world’s largest venomous snake, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), is listed as vulnerable due to loss of habitat and over-exploitation for medicinal purposes. The Burmese Python (Python bivittatus), best-known in the West as an invasive species in the Florida Everglades, is also listed as vulnerable in its native range, with trade and over-exploitation for food and skins, especially in China and Vietnam, being the main threats to the species. Despite its designation as a protected species in China, populations there show no evidence of recovery, and illegal catching continues.


While  medicinal plants and animals are used as source of medicinal products in several countries, about 100 most-prescribed drugs originate from wild species. Amphibians play a vital role in the search for new medicines as important chemical compounds can be found on the skin of many frogs. Yet 41% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction, including the recently described frog, Anodonthyla hutchisoni from Madagascar, which is now considered endangered.

More than 70,000 different plant species are used in traditional and modern medicine. The IUCN Red List update includes a number of South East Asian plants which are used for food and medicine. The Tsao-ko Cardamom (Amomum tsao-ko), is now a nearly threatened species because its edible fruits have been over-harvested for trading. In several cases the over-exploitation combined with loss of habitat due to deforestation and other threats has resulted in species being listed in a threatened category.

Two relatives of turmeric – Curcuma candida and Curcuma rhabdota (Candy Cane Ginger) - are both listed as vulnerable, and the Zingiber monophyllum, a wild species of ginger is listed as endangered.

Other important services supplied by species include improvement and control of air quality by plants and trees. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. They clean the soil, act as carbon sinks, and clean the air. Bivalve molluscs and many wetland plants carry out water filtration services to provide clean water, whilst snails help control algae.

In Africa 42% of all freshwater molluscs are globally threatened and in Europe 68% of endemic freshwater molluscs are globally threatened by habitat loss, pollution and the development of dams.

“Most of the drivers of biodiversity loss, including species extinctions, are economic in nature,” says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission. “An economy can only be described as ‘green’ if it promotes the achievement of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets that governments agreed on in 2010.”

Expedition to Suriname Finds New Species

The crown jewels of earth, in the form of varied biological life, no matter how small or big, form a wealth that no one can recreate. Then, if a scientific expedition of three weeks duration to three remote sites along Kutari and Sipaliwini rivers near village Kwamalasumutu in southwest Suriname yield a documented list of nearly 1300 species, including 46 new species is an achievement that any biologist or a nature lover will appreciate.

Carried under the Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) of the Conservation International, the expedition comprised a collaborative team of 53 scientists, indigenous Trio people, students who documented status of species  which included plants, animals, fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds, small and large mammals, katydids, dragonflies, damselflies, aquatic beetles and dung beetles. Suriname has the world's last pristine tropical forests. RAP surveys carried by CI provide a quick assessment of the unique biodiversity of an unexplored area.

CI scientist and RAP Director Dr. Trond Larsen said, "Our team was privileged to explore one of the last remaining areas of vast, unroaded wilderness in the world. As a scientist, it is thrilling to study these remote forests where countless new discoveries await, especially since we believe that protecting these landscapes while they remain pristine provides perhaps the greatest opportunity for maintaining globally important biodiversity and the ecosystems people depend upon for generations to come."

The findings of the expedition were recently released for press by CI; the release entitled, "An armoured catfish, a cowboy frog....in southwest Suriname" provides details of  expedition and some interesting species and their pictures which are reproduced below alongwith their links.    

Cowboy Frog (Hypsiboas sp.) was discovered low on a small branch during a night survey in a swampy area of the Koetari River. The main distinguishing characteristic of this frog is the lack of a certain characteristic. It looks quite similar to "the Convict Treefrog" Hypsiboas calcaratus but lacks the black and white lateral stripes of H. calcaratus.
                                                                   



Pac-Man Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta), a voracious sit-and-wait predator, with an exceptionally wide mouth, can swallow prey nearly as large as its own body, including birds, mice and other frogs. One researcher using a radio collar to track birds found her study animal (and collar) in the belly of this frog!

A new species, the Armored Catfish (Pseudacanthicus sp.) is a catfish whose armor of external bony plates is covered with spines to defend itself from giant piranhas which inhabit the same waters. Only a handful of Pseudacanthicus specimens are known from Suriname, and this is the first from the Sipaliwini



  

Crayola Katydid (Vestria sp.) known as Crayola katydids because of their striking coloration. They are the only katydids known to employ chemical defenses, which are effective at repelling bird and mammalian predators.

The Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa tomoptema) is a species of tree frogs, these frogs are indicative of healthy pristine rain forest

While the discovery of new species is an exciting outcome of these surveys, the RAP scientists also observed a variety of other fascinating species, many of which are found only in Suriname or represent entirely new records for the region. 

Great Horned Beetle (Coprophanaeus lancifer) is a massive dung beetle the size of a tangerine, weighing over 6 grams. It is metallic blue and purple. This species is highly unusual in that both males and females possess long horns on the head, which are used as weapons against each other during battle.

Spectacular Conehead Katydid (Loboscelis bacatus) was previously only known from Amazonian Peru. The katydid has fluorescent green and pink coloring. The sighting in southern Suriname significantly extends its known range. It is predator of insects and snails, and feeds on seeds and fruits.

The expedition in particular proved to be a paradise for entomologists , with spectacular and unique insects everywhere. "I didn't even have to look for ants because they jumped out at me", said Dr. Leeanne Alonso, a former CI RAP Director who is now with Global Wildlife Conservation. There was equally impressive and amazing diversity of birds and mammals in the region.

A leaf beetle (Stilodes sedecimmaculata) found only in Guyana shield. Its bright colour is a reflection of toxic materials stored from plants it consumes to warn off predators

During the survey, scientists also observed extensive cave petroglyphs near the village of Kwamalasamutu, in a site known as Werehpai, which CI-Suriname is working with local communities to preserve and promote for ecotourism. Discovered as recently as 2000, the Werehpai site is the oldest known human settlement located in southern Suriname. Recent investigations and radiocarbon dates at the site indicate that the first sign of inhabitation was five-thousand years ago; they offer the most concentrated set of petroglyphs ever recorded in the Amazonian basin.

 

CI-Suriname Executive Director Annette Tjon Sie Fat, whose team commissioned the survey and will incorporate the research into conservation planning said, "The Kwamalasamutu area's pristine nature and cultural heritage make it a unique destination for more adventurous tourists, who enjoy trekking through the dense rainforest to discover flora and fauna. CI-Suriname and the Trio are hoping to further develop a niche market ecotourism site here, while the recommendations from the RAP will help the community to manage and maintain the 18,000 ha sanctuary they created around the region's incredible Werehpai petroglyph caves."

The RAP team and CI President Russ Mittermeier will be heading again to Southern Suriname to continue the exploration of this pristine and globally important region.