Vibrant fish found in pond as it dried up and 3 other new species discoveries
Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are being discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses.
Learn more about some recent new species discoveries:
'Rainbow' creature with yellow eyes found in temporary pond. It's a new species
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, scientists discovered a new species of killifish named Nothobranchius iridescens, or the rainbow seasonal killifish, in a temporary pond. This medium-sized fish, with males displaying vibrant rainbow colors and large yellow eyes, was found in ephemeral pools on floodplains. | Published July 2 | Read More |
'Large' creature seen running 'rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species
In the coastal regions of southwestern Angola, researchers identified a new species of gecko called Rhoptropus megocellus, or the large-spotted Namib day gecko. These geckos, found on large granitic boulders, are notable for their large size and distinctive spotted patterns. | Published July 3 | Read More |
'Large'-eyed creature with 'gem'-like pattern found in pond. It's a new species
A new species of fish, Lacustricola gemma, or the gem lampeye fish, was discovered in a shrinking pond in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This small fish is recognized by its iridescent scales and large silver eyes, resembling tiny gems. | Published July 7 | Read More |
Trawlers catch deep-sea creature with regrown tail off India. It's a new species
In the Arabian Sea off the coast of India, a new species of eel named Facciolella smithi, or Smith's witch eel, was discovered by commercial trawlers. These deep-sea dwellers are characterized by their elongated bodies and regrown tails. | Published July 1 | Read More |
'Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a 'cryptic' new species
In the savannas of southwestern Angola, researchers found a new species of gecko known as Rhoptropus crypticus, or the cryptic Namib day gecko. These 'large,' camouflaged lizards were discovered among boulders in a restricted area. | Published July 4 | Read More |
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Vibrant fish found in pond as it dried up and 3 other new species discoveries
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Unique creatures, odd animals and new species are being discovered across the planet. Some are found lurking in remote corners of the world, while others have been hiding right under our noses. Learn more about some recent new species discoveries: 'Rainbow' creature with yellow eyes found in temporary pond. It's a new species In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, scientists discovered a new species of killifish named Nothobranchius iridescens, or the rainbow seasonal killifish, in a temporary pond. This medium-sized fish, with males displaying vibrant rainbow colors and large yellow eyes, was found in ephemeral pools on floodplains. | Published July 2 | Read More | 'Large' creature seen running 'rapidly' on rocks in Angola. It's a new species In the coastal regions of southwestern Angola, researchers identified a new species of gecko called Rhoptropus megocellus, or the large-spotted Namib day gecko. These geckos, found on large granitic boulders, are notable for their large size and distinctive spotted patterns. | Published July 3 | Read More | 'Large'-eyed creature with 'gem'-like pattern found in pond. It's a new species A new species of fish, Lacustricola gemma, or the gem lampeye fish, was discovered in a shrinking pond in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This small fish is recognized by its iridescent scales and large silver eyes, resembling tiny gems. | Published July 7 | Read More | Trawlers catch deep-sea creature with regrown tail off India. It's a new species In the Arabian Sea off the coast of India, a new species of eel named Facciolella smithi, or Smith's witch eel, was discovered by commercial trawlers. These deep-sea dwellers are characterized by their elongated bodies and regrown tails. | Published July 1 | Read More | 'Large' camouflaged creature found on Angola rocks. It's a 'cryptic' new species In the savannas of southwestern Angola, researchers found a new species of gecko known as Rhoptropus crypticus, or the cryptic Namib day gecko. These 'large,' camouflaged lizards were discovered among boulders in a restricted area. | Published July 4 | Read More |
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09-07-2025
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‘Miniature' creature seen running ‘quickly' on Angola plain. It's a new species
On a gravel plain of southwestern Africa, a 'miniature' creature moved 'quickly' along the loose stones searching for a hiding place. Something about it caught the attention of nearby scientists — and for good reason. It turned out to be a new species. A team of researchers spent seven years doing 'extensive' wildlife surveys of 'the less explored coastal regions of southern Angola,' according to a study published June 27 in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution. Their fieldwork focused on a group of 'unique' but 'poorly understood' lizards known as Namib day geckos. During some of their searches, researchers found several unfamiliar-looking patterned geckos, the study said. They took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Rhoptropus minimus, or the miniature Namib day gecko. Miniature Namib day geckos are considered 'small-sized,' reaching about 3 inches in length, the study said. Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for ''smallest' or 'very small'' because of its size. A photo shows the tannish-gray coloring of the new species. Its pattern is a mixture of 'soft orange-rust' markings and black and cream blotches. Its belly is 'whitish to cream' with 'darker' fingertips and toes. Miniature Namib day geckos are 'primarily associated with gravel and sand plains' and were found 'in more open areas, where (they move) quickly between small rocks and loose flakes on the ground, using them for shelter,' the study said. Much about the lifestyle and behavior of the new species remains unknown. So far, the new species has only been found in 'the coastal regions of Namibe Province,' a region of southwestern Angola that borders Namibia, the study said. Angola also borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Zambia. The new species was identified by its scale pattern, coloring, size and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 8% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Javier Lobón-Rovira, Matthew Heinicke, Aaron Bauer, Werner Conradie and Pedro Vaz Pinto. The team also discovered two more new species: the large-spotted Namib day gecko and the cryptic Namib day gecko.
