It’s a small world after all where we interact with people from all around the world as if they were sitting in the next room! Technology and useful gadgets have reduced uncertainty was we now know everything from the far off planets and stars a million light years away to the hot liquid core of the earth! However, as you will see, some animal and plant species have managed to give us the slip and have been living under our noses (literally!) for thousands of years. These include land animals as well as marine life which have managed to stay hidden from our scientists and biologist. These are the Top 10 recently discovered Species list and is ranked on thesignificance of the discovery. These discoveries are from recent years and are spread all across the globe.10. Bosavi woolly rat
In the forest of Papa New Guinea, a BBC crew stumbled on an unusually large sized rat in 2009. The 3 foot long rat weighted almost 4 lbs and was not a bit frightened a bit by all the humans around it! It is still being researched on and a definite scientific name has not yet been allotted to it. The Bosavi wooly rat has thick and long brown fur on its body with a tinge of silver on it. Its exact numbers of the the Bosavi wooly rat are still unknown and whether it is endangered or not is yet to be found out. The same team managed to make another discovery in the same trip by finding the Silky Cuscus as well!
9. Titi monkey
Ranking 9th in the Top 10 recently discovered Species list is the recently discovered new type of Titi monkeys which were found Mato Grosso (Brazil). Although sighted over 30 years ago, the Callicebus caquetensis could not be studied or documented due to political issues. This type of Titi monkey has a brown color all over its body except of its chin, throat and front body region which are red in color and almost look dyed! The most unique trait of the Titi monkeys is that they are monogamous and the male looks after the babies most of the time!
8. Darwin’s Bark Spider
Another unusual spider found recently is the Darwin’s bark spider (named after the celebrated Charles Darwin). The spider silk it produces is the toughest naturally produced things ever and is up to ten times the strength of the strongest polymer produced by man. This eight eyed hairy creature can weave a web up to 80 feet in radius! Darwin’s Bark Spiders are also unique in the sense that they usually make their webs over rivers and other bodies of water and let their prey nibble on what’s caught in their web already before grabbing them!
7. Monitor Lizard
The true descendents of dinosaurs, the giant monitor lizards have well developed and powerful jaws and tails making them look more like snakes than lizards. Placed at number 7 in the Top 10 recent discoveries list, it came as a big surprise when a new species of monitor lizards were discovered in Philippines a few years ago. They have distinct color patterns on their bodies and fruits form a large part of their diet. This 6 feet long monitor lizard is quite shy are rarely leaves cover which might be why it had evaded humans till recently.
6. Underwater Mushroom
Underwater Mushrooms were recently discovered accidently and are a much discussed topic among hydrologists, biologists and scientists now days. Categorized as Psathyrella aquatica, the underwater mushroom is a type of gilled mushrooms which thrive under water. No definite information has been published as to how they reproduce and colonize as the constant stream of water would make it impossible for them to form colonies in one place! Some people do think that the Underwater Mushrooms are not a different but a mere fluke and demand open research on them.
5. Jumping Cockroach
As if the sight of a cockroach running on your kitchen counter wasn’t bad enough, be sure to bid farewell to peaceful sleep as scientists have discovered a new species of cockroaches which an jump as well! Found in Cape Town (South Africa), the Jumping Cockroach species have hind legs resembling grasshoppers. A relief is that they, unlike the household versions, are mostly active in the day and less at night! The Jumping Cockroach is the only one out of its 5,000 species that can leap into the air.
4. Tyrant Leech King
When someone found a live blood sucking leech in his nose one day, it was a horror for him and an achievement for the scientific world as the leech turned out to be a new species never seen before! Rightfully named the Tyrant Leech King, this leech is mainly found in the nostrils of humans and animals and can grow up to 8 centimeters! It has a single but powerful jaw lined with big teeth which helps it to hold onto the mucus lined walls and to feed from them as well. the Tyrant Leech King can also make its way to the eyes and feed off the eyeballs if given a chance!
3. Walter’s Duiker
Only 21 previous species of these antelopes were known till 2099 when a much smaller one was discovered. Called the Walter’s Duiker, it looks more like a huge rabbit than an antelope. These have been declared as an endangered species in more than 5 countries of the world. The rest of the DNA structuring of the Walter’s Duiker seems to be the same but it has quite a few characteristics like height and weight which differentiate it from the others.
2. Pancake Batfish
Known commonly as the Louisiana pancake batfish and found in the Gulf, it is on the endangered species list as well because the oil spill has affected its habitat in more than a few ways. TheLouisiana pancake batfish lives on the seabed and eats a variety of things found there. It skips around the bottom of the sea rather than swimming and uses its small legs to do so. They look more like pancakes than fishes and hence their name. Neither their exact numbers nor their total population is known till now.
1. Burrunan Dolphins
The biggest surprise in the top 10 recently discovered species list came when a new type or river dolphins were discovered in Australia! Now Australia is quite famous for its deadly animals and creatures but none are of this category! Know as the Burrunan Dolphins, they are quite different from the seemingly similar species of bottlenose dolphins. Major physical differences are the difference in dorsal fins, thicker beaks and unique color variations. The Burrunan Dolphins are said to be an endangered species.