New Species Discovered, Sixty New Ciriters Identified

Sixty new plant and animal species have been discovered the rainforest mountains of Suriname in South America. The area is extremely remote and completely uninhabited. The sixteen scientists who took part in the expedition catalogued a total of 1,378 plants and animals including insects and fish. Sixty of those are believed to be previously unknown to science.

One of the new species is a chocolate colored tree frog, which has been aptly named the cocoa frog (Hypsiboas sp.) as well as a new poison dart frog that is brown and white in color called Anomaloglossus sp. A new species of snouted tree frog was found because it leapt onto the table of the camp. There is also a new dung beetle known as the Lilliputian beetle (Canthidium cf. minimum). The beetle is a ruby color and has antennae that look like antlers. Another new insect is the Pseudophyllinae teleutin, which is similar to a grasshopper, but with spines along its legs.

The scientists also identified twenty-five new species of water beetle, along with with a new tetra. Dr. Trond Larsen an ecologist and member of the team stated that “Suriname is one of the last places where an opportunity still exists to conserve massive tracts of untouched forest and pristine rivers where biodiversity is thriving.”