Search Results

Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14)

12 - 17 February 2024, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

World Migratory Bird Day

8 October 2023, Bonn, Germany

World Migratory Bird Day

14 May 2023, Bonn, Germany

Second Meeting of the Range States of the Joint CITES - CMS African Carnivores Initiative

1 - 4 May 2023, Entebbe, Uganda

FAO Council (172nd Session)

24 - 28 April 2023, Rome, Italy

2nd CMS Workshop on Conservation Implications of Animal Culture and Social Complexity - Part II

3 - 4 April 2023, Parma, Italy

3rd Regional Seminar on the Conservation and Restoration of Sahelo-Saharan Megafauna

14 - 16 March 2023, Agadir, Morocco

World Wildlife Day

3 March 2023, Geneva, Switzerland

Amazon deforestation threatens newly discovered fish species in Brazil

Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History researcher Murilo Pastana and his colleagues have discovered and described two new species of Amazonian fish—one with striking red-orange fins and the other so small it is technically considered a miniature fish species—in a paper published today, ...

'Extinct' orchid discovered hiding in plain sight

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, together with a team of scientists, have released a new scientific paper showing that the previously presumed extinct species called Prasophyllum morganii, commonly known as mignonette leek orchid, has in fact been hiding in plain sight.

Six new wētā species found in New Zealand, as their habitat slowly disappears

Six new alpine species of New Zealand’s most unusual and beloved insect – the wētā – have been discovered, but it is a bittersweet victory, with another piece of research describing the threat global heating poses for their snowy mountain habitat.

Seventy-fourth meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

7 - 11 March 2022, Lyon, France

‘Prospect of existence’: Nameless grasshopper sparks taxonomic debate

What’s in a name? The curious case of a nameless grasshopper will tell you that there is more to a name than meets the eye.

World Wildlife Day: "Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration"

3 March 2022, Geneva, Switzerland

Chocolate frog? New burrowing frog species unearthed in Amazon’s rare peatlands

A photo of an odd-looking amphibian drew attention on Twitter last week, where it was described as a “smooth lil fella”, compared to a melted tootsie roll candy, and likened to the chocolate frogs from Harry Potter.

Endangered, new to science orchid discovered in Ecuador with the help of a commercial nursery

An astounding new species of orchid has been discovered in the cloud rainforest of Northern Ecuador. Scientifically named Maxillaria anacatalina-portillae, the plant -- unique with its showy, intense yellow flowers -- was described by Polish orchidologists in collaboration with an Ecuadorian com ...

New species of octocoral: The jewel of Caloundra

Queensland Museum scientists have re-described a species of bright blue octocorals that can only be found on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

One fish, two fish: New goby species from the Philippines just dropped

Serendipity underlies some of the greatest scientific discoveries. And it was certainly at play in 2015 when a team of biologists stopped off to relax at a popular waterfall on the Philippine island of Palawan after spending a long day surveying nearby streams to document the island’s freshwater ...

New species described in 2022

From a tree named after Leonardo DiCaprio to a bamboo-dwelling tarantula, discover some of the new species around the world that have been recently described by scientists.

Ghostly monkey and crocodile newts among new Mekong area species

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) conservation group has published a list of 224 newly discovered species from the greater Mekong region.

Biologists discover new insect species

Its name sounds legendary, but the newly discovered insect Neuroterus (noo-ROH'-teh-rus) valhalla doesn't look or act the part. It's barely a millimeter long and spends 11 months of the year locked in a crypt.

Scientists discover tarantula-killing worms: New parasite named after actor Jeff Daniels

Scientists have named a newly discovered species of worm that kills tarantulas after American actor, musician and producer Jeff Daniels, a distinction no other entertainer can claim.

In untangling a taxonomic web, Sri Lankan researchers describe seven new jumping spiders

With two large eyes on a flat rectangular face, and six more eyes around the head, jumping spiders from the Salticidae family can look a bit alien, even by arachnid standards.

New species of coral discovered in Scottish waters, shedding new light on deep sea biodiversity

The discovery of a new coral species in waters off the coast of Scotland has sparked new scientific excitement about the biodiversity of the deep sea.

New rainfrog species discovered in Panama, named in honor of environmental activist Greta Thunberg

In 2018, Rainforest Trust celebrated its 30th anniversary by hosting an auction offering naming rights for some new-to-science species. The funds raised at the auction benefited the conservation of the newly recognized species. It is estimated that about 100 new species are discovered each year.

Newly identified tree species named in honour of Leonardo DiCaprio

A tropical, evergreen tree from Cameroon, the first plant species to be named as new to science in 2022, has officially been labelled Uvariopsis dicaprio today in honour of the actor Leonardo DiCaprio. It adds to the list of the strange and spectacular plants that scientists have named in the pa ...

‘Ghost’ orchid that grows in the dark among new plant finds

A ghost orchid that grows in complete darkness, an insect-trapping tobacco plant and an “exploding firework” flower are among the new species named by scientists in the last year. The species range from a voodoo lily from Cameroon to a rare tooth fungus unearthed near London, UK.

New species of orchids discovered in Sichuan, China

During an investigation of wild orchid resources in Sichuan Province (the second National Key Protected Wild Plant Resources Survey), researchers from the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with staffs of Wolong National Nature Reserve, jointly discovered and nam ...

‘Quite incredible’: some of world’s rarest camellias discovered in Yorkshire

Horticultural experts have compared it to finding a wondrous and unknown library of rare first editions, said the head gardener of Wentworth Woodhouse, Scott Jamieson, recalling the discovery of camellias believed to be some of the oldest and rarest in the western world.

The first true millipede: new species with more than 1000 legs discovered in Western Australia

Researchers named the subterranean animal Eumillipes persephone after the Greek goddess of the underworld

Indian woman researcher discovers over 50 species of frogs

Not only is Dr. Garg India’s first woman researcher to discover 50 new frog species, earlier this week, she was awarded the prestigious Edward O. Wilson Biodiversity Postdoctoral Fellowship to work at Harvard University

Digitizing the Natural History Museum London's entire collection could contribute over £2 billion to the global economy

The societal benefits of digitizing natural history collections extends to global advancements in food security, biodiversity conservation, medicine discovery, minerals exploration, and beyond. Brand new, rigorous economic report predicts investing in digitizing natural history museum collection ...

Biodiversity collections enable foundational and data skills

The task of training an effective cadre of biodiversity scientists has grown more challenging in recent years, as foundational skills and knowledge in organismal biology have increasingly required complementary data skills and knowledge.

Hidden biodiversity in microarthropods (Acari, Oribatida, Eremaeoidea, Caleremaeus)

A challenge for taxonomists all over the world and across all taxonomic groups is recognizing and delimiting species, and cryptic species are even more challenging. However, an accurate identification is fundamental for all biological studies from ecology to conversation biology.

Plants and animals of Noongar Nation break new ground in Indigenous knowledge tool

The Noongar Boodjar plant and animal encyclopaedia will link Indigenous species names with western scientific (both Latin and Common) names, as well as ancestral ecological and cultural knowledge chosen to be shared by local communities across more than 90 plant and animal species.

Twelve new butterfly species recorded in the Eastern Ghats of Visakhapatnam district

Gossamer-winged butterflies conjure up images of flowery fields and sunshine-soaked gardens. Indicators of a healthy environment and ecosystem, butterflies have been widely used by ecologists to study the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation, and climate change.

New hope for ancient spider species feared extinct on Kangaroo Island

The recent discovery of two assassin spiders found living in a remnant patch of long unburnt habitat in Kangaroo Island have given new hope for the future of the ancient species after it was feared that they had become extinct.

A new species of fig discovered on Uluru

Figs are one of the world's most recognizable trees and extensively used by First Nations peoples, but until recently a single widespread species, Ficus brachypoda, was the only kind recognized in central Australia.

Jackie Chan, Balerion and Smaug inspire names of gecko species described from Western Ghats

Researchers recently described 12 new gecko species from the Western Ghats, 10 of which are endemic and found nowhere else in the world. Some of them got quirky names, after their traits, like the Jackie Chan gecko — named for its stealthy characteristic and being “nearly impossible to catch.”

World Migratory Bird Day (October)

9 October 2021, Bonn, Germany

52nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the CMS (StC52)

21 - 29 September 2021, Online/Virtual

Moth biodiversity assessment finds nearly 500 moth species in Tale Wildlife Sanctuary

Seventeen new species have been added to the moth fauna of India from Tale Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, following moth biodiversity assessments that took place over 29 days in the months of April, May, August and September in 2011 and 2019.

New dragon-like lizard species discovered in the Tropical Andes

The Huallaga River in the Andes of central Peru extends for 1,138 km, making it the largest tributary of the Marañón River, the spinal cord of the Amazon River. This basin harbors a great variety of ecosystems, including the Peruvian Yunga ecoregion, which is considered a shelter of endemic bird ...

'Mermaid' Species Of Algae Discovered On Andaman And Nicobar Islands After 40 Years

The reputation as a biosphere reserve is solely given to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as they have been the subject of several scientific research on different species. A unique, new plant species have been discovered in the Andaman Islands archipelago. During a visit to the archipelago in 20 ...

Scientists identify five new plant species in Bolivia

The species are all part of the genus Jacquemontia, which are twining or trailing plants with pretty blue flowers. With rapid biodiversity loss taking place across South America and worldwide, identifying plant species is a vital step towards protecting them.

New ‘weird looking’ shark species from Indian Ocean discovered

In 2012 and 2014, researchers from the Pacific Shark Research Center in the US conducted surveys along the Southwest Indian Ridge or the underwater mountain system that bisects the ocean between Africa and Antarctica. While studying the seamounts situated to the south of Madagascar, the team col ...

Thirty-first meeting of the Animals Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

31 May - 4 June 2021, Online, Switzerland

Scientists discover new species of African Violet plant from Mizoram

A group of botanists from the Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) have recently discovered a new species of plant belonging to the African Violets family from Mizoram and adjacent areas in Myanmar.

New 'freaky' fanged frog species discovered hiding in plain sight in Mindoro

Scientists have found a new fanged frog species hiding in plain sight by studying their unique mating calls and genomic data. Fanged frogs belong to the genus Limnonectes, a group of about 75 known species of frogs with unusually large teeth that are small or absent in other frogs. Eleven of the ...

New alpine lizard species uncovered in South Island

An intensive hunt for lizards in the South Island has led to the discovery of what could be several new skink and gecko species.The exciting finds were made this summer in remote mountain areas in Fiordland, Mount Aspiring and Nelson Lakes national parks, and the Hooker/Landsborough Wilderness A ...

New Miniature Trap-Jaw Ant Ant Species Discovered – Named in Recognition of Gender Diversity

A newly discovered miniature trap jaw ant from the evergreen tropical forests of Ecuador bears the curious Latin name Strumigenys ayersthey, among hundreds, which are also named in honor of people, but end with -ae (after females) and -i (after males). This makes the newly described ant perhaps ...

New species of pelomedusoid turtle found in Madagascar

A team of researchers from Universität Freiburg, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Université d'Antananarivo and Stony Brook University has discovered a new species of pelomedusoid turtle in Madagascar.

73rd meeting of the Standing Committee (SC73) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

5 - 7 May 2021, Online

New Peruvian frog leaps into amphibian species ledger

Peruvian officials on Wednesday announced the discovery of a brand-new frog, a spotted brown critter with an unusual eye coloring and no eardrum, in a natural park in the Amazon jungle.

Indian Researchers Have Found a New Species of Butterfly in Western Ghats

Researchers have discovered a new species of butterflies namely – sinhala ramaswamii sadasivan 2021 – adding to the expanding list of butterflies in India. The new taxon of Lycaenid butterfly belonging to the Nacaduba genus was discovered by researchers in the Agasthyamalais in the Western Ghats ...

New fish species named in honor of University of Georgia ecologists

University of Georgia ecologists Mary and Byron "Bud" Freeman are being recognized for their contributions to freshwater science in the most fitting way possible—with the naming of a newly discovered fish species in their honor.

Two New Species of Screech Owls Identified

Ornithologists from the United States, Brazil and Finland have described two new species of the owl genus Megascops from the Amazon and Atlantic forests.

Blind shrimps, translucent snails: the 11 mysterious new species we found in potential fracking sites

There aren't many parts of the world where you can discover a completely new assemblage of living creatures. But after sampling underground water in a remote, arid region of northern Australia, we discovered at least 11, and probably more, new species of stygofauna.

Scientists Just Found a New Kind of Whale

Genetic analysis and a close examination of the skulls from a group of baleen whales in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico have revealed that they are a new species.

New snake species discovered in southeastern Turkey

Faculty members at Hakkari University in Turkey announced Tuesday the discovery of a new snake species as part of research conducted in the city's rural region.

New frog species found in east China

A new record of frog species was found in the city of Lishui, east China's Zhejiang Province, the municipal bureau of ecology and environment said on Tuesday.

New bee species discovered in Israel

A new species of bee unique to the sand dunes of Israel's coastal plains has been identified and described by Alain Pauly, a taxonomist from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels.

Review of the coordinates of the National Focal Points for the Global Taxonomy Initiative

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/AS/JSH/VA/KM/89336 (2021-002)
To: CBD National Focal Points; Cartagena Protocol Focal Points; ABS Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; GTI Focal Points; Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity; indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations

Moths to monkeys: 503 new species identified by UK scientists

Scarab beetles from New Guinea, seaweed from the Falklands and a new species of monkey found on an extinct volcano in Myanmar are among 503 species newly identified by scientists at the Natural History Museum.

Massive, Unrivalled Deep-Sea Project Just Discovered a Bunch of New Atlantic Species

It's taken nearly five years, 45 research expeditions, and more than 80 scientists and students, but the largest oceanic research enterprise, the ATLAS project, is officially complete.

In 2020, scientists documented hundreds of new species. Here are a few.

t’s the year 2020, and scientists are still discovering new species of life on Earth. No one knows exactly how many types of life are yet undescribed in the scientific literature; estimates range from around 86 percent to as high as 99.99 percent. And even though we’re living through an age of g ...

New tree-spider crab species with purple patches described from Kerala’s mangroves

In a serendipitous discovery, researchers have described a tiny, cryptic species of tree-spider crab found climbing the mangrove trees of Kasargod district in the southern state of Kerala.

The new species discovered in 2020

Many would probably say that 2020 was a complete blowout — politically, socially, experientially, and unfortunately for many, health-wise. But in the world of science, it was an overall fantastic year. Hundreds of new species were discovered in 2020, adding to our planet's biodiversity and makin ...

Tiny frog species among series of finds in Andean ‘sky islands’

An “ecological Swat team” has discovered 20 previously unknown species in the misty cloud forests and cascading waterfalls that flank Bolivia’s Zongo valley.

Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum 2020 Virtual Symposium, Online, 2 December 2020

Statement by Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, on the occasion of the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum 2020 Virtual Symposium, Online, 2 December 2020

Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum 2020

2 - 4 December 2020, Online

The newest species of Philippine false gecko is the 10th (and counting)

Spotting false geckos in the wild can be hard. They can easily disappear into their environment thanks to their cryptic colors and markings and their use of hollow areas to hide in.

Revised dates and modalities for the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum 2020

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/AS/JSH/VA/KM/88592 (2020-089)
To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; GTI Focal Points; Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity; Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and relevant organizations

Australia's biodiversity just got a lot richer': Two new mammals discovered

There are two more reasons to love Australia's fluffiest aeronautical marsupials after the discovery that there are actually three species of greater glider, not one as previously assumed.

P.E.I. National Park announces exciting new bat discovery

Six years of recording and analyzing the sounds made by bats in P.E.I. National Park has revealed more biodiversity in the park than was previously suspected. The park first set up acoustic detectors, which record the echolocation calls bats use to hunt for food, in 2015 and has continued every ...

11th session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITWG-AnGR/11) at FAO

1 - 3 July 2020, Rome, Italy

Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITWG-PGRFA)

17 - 19 June 2020, Rome, Italy

Bold project hopes to DNA barcode every species in Costa Rica

Let’s be honest: many conservationists may start their careers with big ambitions. But as they, and their careers, age, those ambitions — especially in light of the Anthropocene — understandably shrink. Saving one forest or one species begins to look like a large enough legacy — and for many it ...

New species of moths discovered in the Alps named after three famous alpinists

The discovery of new, still unnamed animal species in a well-researched European region like the Alps is always a small sensation. All the more surprising is the description of a total of three new to science species previously misidentified as long-known alpine moths.

New Species of Wood Snake Found in the Western Ghats

The sun beat down mercilessly. Being in the vicinity of south India’s highest peak, in one of the coldest months – December – made no difference. After a tiring morning session of surveying for snakes and other small fauna in the high-elevation grasslands of Kerala’s Eravikulam National Park in ...

Scientists discover ‘extremely unexpected’ gecko species and immediately warn it is at threat of extinction from humans

A new species of bent-toed gecko has been discovered by biologists on an isolated mountain in northern Cambodia. Describing the find as “extremely unexpected”, scientists have warned the species could be lost as suddenly as it was detected because of the gold mining which threatens the small liz ...

Postponement of the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum and selected participants

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/AS/SBG/JSH/VA/JM/AER/88592 (2020-031)
To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; GTI Focal Points; Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity; relevant organizations; indigenous peoples and local communities

We’ve just discovered two new shark species

Finding a species that’s entirely new to science is always exciting, and so we were delighted to be a part of the discovery of two new sixgill sawsharks (called Pliotrema kajae and Pliotrema annae) off the coast of East Africa.

Muduga leaping frog is first new member of its genus found in over a century

A new species of frog endemic to the Western Ghats, a mountain range in India that is considered a global biodiversity hotspot, is the first new addition to the genus Walkerana in more than a century.

Postponement of the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum - Berlin, Germany, 7-9 April 2020

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/AS/SBG/JSH/AER/88592 (2020-026)
To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; GTI Focal Points; Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity; relevant organizations; indigenous peoples and local communities

215-Million-Year-Old, Sharp-Nosed Sea Creature Was Among the Last of Its Kind

Researchers gave the marine reptile the genus name Gunakadeit in honor of a sea monster from Tlingit oral history. As the frigid Alaskan waters lapped at his heels, Patrick Druckenmiller repositioned his saw against the algae-dappled rock.

Scientists discovered the first animal that doesn't need oxygen to live. It's changing the definition of what an animal can be

You'd think all animals would need oxygen to live, right? Wrong. Researchers just discovered a unique organism that doesn't need to breathe. Instead, the tiny parasite lives in salmon tissue and evolved so that it doesn't need oxygen to produce energy.

Fossilized wing gives clues about Labrador’s biodiversity during Cretaceous

A fossilised insect wing discovered in an abandoned mine in Labrador has led palaeontologists from McGill University and the University of Gdańsk to identify a new hairy cicada species that lived around 100 million years ago.

Call for nominations for the Global Taxonomy Initiative Forum, 7 to 9 April 2020 - Berlin, German

Reference: SCBD/SSSF/AS/SBG/JSH/AER/88592 (2020-016)
To: CBD National Focal Points; SBSTTA Focal Points; GTI Focal Points; Consortium of Scientific Partners on Biodiversity; indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations

‘New’ wasp species found during expedition to Amsterdam park

The Vondelpark in Amsterdam is home to a hitherto undiscovered species of wasp, which has now been named after it, the Parool reported this week.

Walking sharks discovered in the tropics

Four new species of tropical sharks that use their fins to walk are causing a stir in waters off northern Australia and New Guinea.While that might strike fear into the hearts of some people, University of Queensland researchers say the only creatures with cause to worry are small fish and inver ...

Flycatchers and fantails: new songbirds discovered on tiny islands

Ten new songbird species and subspecies have been identified on a trio of previously under-explored Indonesian islands in the largest discovery of its kind in more than a century, according to a new study.

2019: The year Sri Lanka’s stunning new species came to light

For the Indian Ocean island of Sri Lanka, it is not a huge surprise to have introduced more than 50 new species just in the past year. For this biodiversity-rich nation with high endemism, 2019 was a successful year, not just with many new species discoveries, but also with more engagement of a ...

Superglue plant and ‘miracle berry’ among 2019’s new finds

A snowdrop discovered on Facebook, a miracle berry that tricks your tastebuds and a rubbery shrub that oozes its own superglue are among new plant species that were discovered in 2019.

Researchers find over 40 new species of fish in one lake

There are many thousands of species of fish inhabiting the world's waters. Recently, researchers have uncovered around 40 new species in a lake in Africa. The number is impressive, but the investigators explain how these new varieties came to be.

71 New Species From 2019 Described by Scientists: From Geckos to Goblin Spiders

In 2019, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 71 new plant and animal species to our family tree, enriching our understanding of Earth’s complex web of life and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions.

New species of seaweed uncovered by genetic analyses

Genetic analyses have revealed remarkably higher species diversity in common red seaweed than previously assumed. It was thought that there were only five related species of the Gloiopeltis genus (known as 'funori' in Japanese) worldwide. However, genetic analyses of historic and modern specimen ...

Ant expert discovers newly emergent species in his backyard

Jack Longino is a global ant expert and has traveled the world documenting and discovering ant species. But for his latest discovery, he didn't need to go any farther than his own backyard. In August 2018, just after dark, Longino caught a glimpse of four ants in his garden that really looked ou ...

New toads named from a Sumatran biodiversity trove that’s under threat

In 2017, a group of researchers working in Indonesia announced they had identified a new genus of tree-dwelling toads living in forests and caves on the mountaintops of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island.