As many as 99 new species have been found in Vietnam, according to a World Wildlife Fund report.
Thereport, titled Natures Mysterious Mekong, which was announced tocelebrate the World Environment Day on June 5, said that a total of 367new species had been discovered in the Greater Mekong in 2012 and 2013.
The region spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China’s south-western Yunnan province.
Among the species newly identified by scientists are 290 plants, 24 fish, 21 amphibians, 28 reptiles, 1 bird and 3 mammals.
"Thespecies discoveries affirm the Greater Mekong as one of the world’srichest and most biodiverse regions," said Thomas Gray, Manager ofWWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme.
In Vietnam, scientistsrecently discovered Helens Flying Frog, (Rhacophorus helenae), a huge,green, "flying" frog discovered less than 100km from Ho Chi Minh City.
The frog can reach up to 10cm in length and belongs to a family of frog species that boast an ability to glide.
Withlarge feet that are fully webbed and flaps of webbing on the outside oftheir arms, they can glide sometimes 50 feet (15 metres) down fromtrees to breed in forest pools, and even between trees.
The frogsspend most of their time out of human sight in the forest canopy,perhaps explaining why this distinctive new species has gone completelyunnoticed until now.
To date, the frog has only been located intwo patches of lowland forest surrounded by agricultural land in centralBinh Thuan province and southern Dong Nai province.
"Lowlandtropical forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world dueto human activities, such as logging and degradation," said ThomasGray, Manager of WWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme.
WhileHelens Tree Frog has only just been discovered, the species, like manyothers, is already under threat in its fast shrinking habitat, he said.
Scientistsare warning that the frog may need to be listed as a threatened specieswith the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red Listcriteria.
Among the 28 new reptiles named in the report, thewhite-head Burmese viper (Azemi ops kharini), a primitive viper species,was found in northern Vinh Phuc province.
The venomous speciesis thought to be a primitive viper species due to it possessing anelliptically shaped, flattened head; enlarged head plates; smooth dorsalscales; folding front fangs; no heat-sensing pits and a coiled venomgland duct.
Scientists also identified the hunch-bat of Vietnam,(Hipposideros griffin) 248m above sea level in Cat Ba Island’s Cat BaNational Park in the northern region of Vietnam, as well as in Chu MomRay National Park, situated on the mainland more than 1,000km to thesouth.
The bat was first seen in 2008 on the island, but it wasnot until later, after a team of researchers caught some of the bats,that it was confirmed as a previously unknown species, the report said.
Griffinsleaf-nosed bat is recognised by its grotesque, fleshy nose that assistsin echolocation, the sonar-like ability bats use to help them navigate.
Anew penis head fish (Phallostethus cuulong), is certainly among themore bizarre discoveries to surface in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Deltaregion of Vietnam.
The fish is a newcomer to the Phallostethidaefamily of fish, whose thin, nearly transparent bodies are characterisedby the unusual placement of their sexual organs on their heads.
Themale fishs priapium (the technical name for its sexual organ) is acomplex, muscular organ located underneath the fish’s chin.
Thefemale fish’s genitals are also located under her throat, and unlikemost fish, fertilisation for the Phallostethus cuulong takes placeinside the females body. Researchers say a hook possessed by the maleprobably increases the success of fertilisation.
The discoveriesplace Vietnam as the country with the third highest amount of newspecies on the list, after Thailand with 117 newly discovered speciesand China with 116.-VNA
Thereport, titled Natures Mysterious Mekong, which was announced tocelebrate the World Environment Day on June 5, said that a total of 367new species had been discovered in the Greater Mekong in 2012 and 2013.
The region spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China’s south-western Yunnan province.
Among the species newly identified by scientists are 290 plants, 24 fish, 21 amphibians, 28 reptiles, 1 bird and 3 mammals.
"Thespecies discoveries affirm the Greater Mekong as one of the world’srichest and most biodiverse regions," said Thomas Gray, Manager ofWWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme.
In Vietnam, scientistsrecently discovered Helens Flying Frog, (Rhacophorus helenae), a huge,green, "flying" frog discovered less than 100km from Ho Chi Minh City.
The frog can reach up to 10cm in length and belongs to a family of frog species that boast an ability to glide.
Withlarge feet that are fully webbed and flaps of webbing on the outside oftheir arms, they can glide sometimes 50 feet (15 metres) down fromtrees to breed in forest pools, and even between trees.
The frogsspend most of their time out of human sight in the forest canopy,perhaps explaining why this distinctive new species has gone completelyunnoticed until now.
To date, the frog has only been located intwo patches of lowland forest surrounded by agricultural land in centralBinh Thuan province and southern Dong Nai province.
"Lowlandtropical forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world dueto human activities, such as logging and degradation," said ThomasGray, Manager of WWF-Greater Mekong’s Species Programme.
WhileHelens Tree Frog has only just been discovered, the species, like manyothers, is already under threat in its fast shrinking habitat, he said.
Scientistsare warning that the frog may need to be listed as a threatened specieswith the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red Listcriteria.
Among the 28 new reptiles named in the report, thewhite-head Burmese viper (Azemi ops kharini), a primitive viper species,was found in northern Vinh Phuc province.
The venomous speciesis thought to be a primitive viper species due to it possessing anelliptically shaped, flattened head; enlarged head plates; smooth dorsalscales; folding front fangs; no heat-sensing pits and a coiled venomgland duct.
Scientists also identified the hunch-bat of Vietnam,(Hipposideros griffin) 248m above sea level in Cat Ba Island’s Cat BaNational Park in the northern region of Vietnam, as well as in Chu MomRay National Park, situated on the mainland more than 1,000km to thesouth.
The bat was first seen in 2008 on the island, but it wasnot until later, after a team of researchers caught some of the bats,that it was confirmed as a previously unknown species, the report said.
Griffinsleaf-nosed bat is recognised by its grotesque, fleshy nose that assistsin echolocation, the sonar-like ability bats use to help them navigate.
Anew penis head fish (Phallostethus cuulong), is certainly among themore bizarre discoveries to surface in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Deltaregion of Vietnam.
The fish is a newcomer to the Phallostethidaefamily of fish, whose thin, nearly transparent bodies are characterisedby the unusual placement of their sexual organs on their heads.
Themale fishs priapium (the technical name for its sexual organ) is acomplex, muscular organ located underneath the fish’s chin.
Thefemale fish’s genitals are also located under her throat, and unlikemost fish, fertilisation for the Phallostethus cuulong takes placeinside the females body. Researchers say a hook possessed by the maleprobably increases the success of fertilisation.
The discoveriesplace Vietnam as the country with the third highest amount of newspecies on the list, after Thailand with 117 newly discovered speciesand China with 116.-VNA
