300 New Species Discovered in the Philippines
Baku, July 1 (AZERTAC). Researchers from the California Academy of Sciences believe they have identified 300 new species during a 42-day expedition in the Philippines. The new species — found in rainforests, coral reefs, and the ocean floor — include “dozens of new insects and spiders, deep-sea armored corals, ornate sea pens, bizarre new sea urchins and sea stars, a shrimp-eating swell shark, and over 50 colorful new sea slugs.”
Scientists will use microscopes and DNA sequencing over the coming months to analyze their specimens and confirm that these are truly newly-discovered species. In the meantime, however, there is no doubt that these finds put the Philippines on the map as one of the most biologically diverse areas on the planet. Dr. Terrence Gosliner, a dean at the Academy, called the Philippines “one of the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth.”
Dr. Gosliner said that this expedition to the Philippines was one of the Academy`s most productive ventures since its historic Galapagos International Scientific Expedition of 1964 sent scientists to explore for new species on the islands made famous by Charles Darwin.
While finding so many new species on just a 42-day expedition may seem extraordinary, scientists actually believe that 90 percent of the species on earth have not yet been discovered.
The new discoveries increase cause for concern because many biologically diverse areas of the world, including the Philippines, are threatened with the loss and degradation of natural habitats with the result that many species could be wiped out before they are even discovered. Losing these species means losing potential medical treatments, agricultural pollinators, oxygen producers, soil rehabilitators, and other important components of healthy, functioning ecosystems.
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