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Miami Herald
6 hours ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Large' furry creatures found in Mexico rainforest in first-of-its-kind sighting
Along the banks of the Lacantún River, a hollow tree hid two creatures never before reported in Mexico. Just a stone's throw from an 'extensive, well‑preserved tract of tropical rainforest,' two Phyllostomus hastatus, also known as the greater spear-nosed bat, were roosting in the trunk of the large Ceiba pentandra, or Kapok tree, according to a study published July 14 in the peer-reviewed journal Check List. The sighting extends the species's known range by about 75 miles northwest from its closest occurrence in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, the study said. This is also the first time the species has been documented using Kapok trees to roost, according to the study. Across the river where the bats were found is the edge of the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve — a region of the Lacandona rainforest 'designated as an Area of Importance for Bat Conservation,' researchers said. Features that tipped researchers off to the fact that they were looking at a new-to-the-area species included their well-developed nose leaves, used for echolocation, the presence of tails, a large forearm length of up to 3 inches and their dark brown skin and fur, the study said. The greater spear-nosed bat, considered a 'large-bodied' species, is the second-largest bat species in the Neotropics, according to the study. Their 'large and well-developed' wings allow them to cover great distances, researchers said. Researchers recommend the species be added to Mexico's list of protected and threatened species, considering this may be the only population in the country. The study notes that conservation efforts are even more urgent considering the extensive deforestation of the Lacandona rainforest, citing human encroachment and illegal resource extraction. The bats were discovered in Chiapas, located at the southern tip of Mexico near the border of Guatemala. The research team included J. Manuel Aranda-Coello, L. Arturo Hernández-Mijangos and Manuel Weber.
Miami Herald
24-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Hidden cliffside nest of the world's largest flying bird discovered in Peru Andes
For just the fourth time ever, researchers on an expedition in the Andes Mountains have recorded the Andean condor — the world's largest flying bird — nesting in Peru. The team spent about six hours a day for several days in August 2024 scouring rough terrain on foot, using binoculars and spotting scopes to record sightings of the threatened species. It took a drone, however, to discover a hidden nest with two adults and one chick on a cliff in the Junin region of Peru, according to a study published June 24 in the journal Check List. The sighting marks not only the fourth record in the country, but the second record in the Peruvian Andes and the first record in the Paccha district, according to researchers. The Andean condor lays an average of one egg every two years. Both parents incubate the egg for about 60 days and feed their offspring for six months, according to the study. Researchers said the species is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red list, and given Endangered status by the Peruvian National Service of Forestry and Wildlife. It faces threats including 'lead poisoning, collisions with electrical and telecommunications infrastructure, illegal use in folklore events, illegal wildlife trade, and competition with feral dogs.' Andean condor nesting sites in Peru have all been recorded in the last 40 years, with the first seen in 1988, a third in 2016, and the most recent, marking the first in the Peruvian Andes, was found in 2023, according to the study. The research team recorded 11 individual Andean condors during their expedition, not including the three at the nest, the study said. Researchers said the areas where the nest was found and where individuals of the species were recorded for the first time should receive protection and conservation priority. The research team included Henry Tinoco-Vega, Luis Castillo-Roque, Matt T. Herbert, John Azua and Roberto Elias-Piperis.
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Black-tongued predator caught by hunter in Iraq. It's a first-of-its-kind record
In the mountains of eastern Iraq, a hunter stumbled upon a black-tongued predator. Instead of killing the dangerous animal, the hunter captured it to show to scientists — and for good reason. It turned out to be a first-of-its-kind record. Basheer Al-Taei, a 'local hunter and conservationist,' visited the Zurbatia mountain foothills last August and encountered a venomous snake. Intrigued, he caught it and kept it, according to a study published June 11 in the peer-reviewed journal Check List. Al-Taei filmed the captive snake and sent the video to scientists, the study said. Researchers identified the snake as a Persian horned viper, or Pseudocerastes persicus, 'a venomous species' that had not been confirmed to live in Iraq — until now. A video shared on YouTube by study co-author Soran Ahmed shows the viper. Its head is 'spade-shaped' with pointed horn-like scales near its eyes and a black tongue. The rest of its body alternates between tan and brown patches, photos show. Al-Taei kept the Persian horned viper in captivity for 10 days before it died and 'was discarded,' researchers said. Experts have long debated whether Persian horned vipers live in the mountains of eastern Iraq. The species lives in neighboring Iran but all previous records in Iraq were 'questionable' and 'unsubstantiated by any clear, confirmed, or verified evidence,' the study said. The snake caught by Al-Taei is 'the first documented confirmation of Pseudocerastes persicus in Iraq,' researchers said. Other hunters in the Badra District, the area where Al-Taei caught the viper, told researchers they 'were aware of this viper species' presence at numerous sites within the Zurbatia foothills,' the study said. 'Locally, the species is referred to as 'Haiyah Farissiyah Um Groon,' meaning 'the Persian viper with horns' in Arabic, and is typically killed when encountered.' Researchers said their finding 'extends the geographic range' of the Persian horned viper and 'emphasizes the need for further field research on this species' distribution and conservation.' The research team included Omar Al-Sheikhly, Soran Ahmed, Korsh Ararat, Husham Abdulzahra, Wolfgang Böhme and Daniel Jablonski.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Semi-aquatic predator found outside home in Brazil in first-of-its-kind sighting
On the outskirts of a town in northeastern Brazil, a semi-aquatic predator moved along the road near a house. The chance encounter turned out to be a first-of-its-kind sighting — and confirmation of an expert theory. Scientists received a report about a semi-aquatic snake found on the pavement of 'an urban area of the municipality of Areia, Paraíba,' in January, according to a study published May 21 in the peer-reviewed journal Check List. Intrigued by the accidental encounter, researchers took a closer look at the roughly 9-inch-long reptile and identified it as a juvenile Erythrolamprus mossoroensis, the study said. A photo shows the brown reptile. Erythrolamprus mossoroensis is a poorly known species of snake and a 'relative rarity in field studies,' according to a 2022 study. It has no English common name but is known in Portuguese as 'Cobra-d'Água' or 'Jararacuçu D'água,' names which roughly translate to 'water snake.' Erythrolamprus mossoroensis snakes are semi-aquatic predators, 'active both during the day and at night, with a diet consisting of amphibians and fish,' researchers said. Experts theorized that the species might live in the state of Paraíba because of the region's habitat and the species' presence in neighboring states, but no one had confirmed this — until now. The snake sighting in Areia, Paraíba, was the state's 'first confirmed record of (Erythrolamprus) mossoroensis,' researchers said. The team said their finding 'suggests that more specimens may be found in the region, reinforcing the need for further surveys to expand knowledge of this and other species in the area.' Paraíba is a coastal state in northeastern Brazil and a roughly 1,450-mile drive northeast from Rio de Janeiro. The research team included Élida Silva, José Robério Barboza Júnior, Mateus Dutra, Vanessa Barbosa, Frederico França and Rafaela França.
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Regenerative hammerhead creature found creeping through kitchen in Madagascar
In Madagascar's densely populated capital city of Antananarivo, a slender creature with a wide head and the ability to regenerate copies of itself should it be cut apart, wriggled its way through someone's kitchen. The discovery of the nearly 10-inch-long Bipalium kewense — also known as the hammerhead flatworm — marked the first record of the highly invasive species in Madagascar, according to a May 21 study published in the journal Check List. While attempting to collect the flatworm, it broke into three separate segments — a common behavior called fragmentation exhibited by the species. It was eventually captured and removed from the country for further analysis, researchers said. The species, native to Indochina, can reproduce asexually and has been inadvertently transported through the global plant trade, making it a highly successful colonizer, researchers said. Despite being found in more than 78 countries around the world, it has scarcely been recorded in North Africa, according to the study. Researchers said two iNaturalist entries from 2024 may have featured Bipalium kewense in areas south of Antananarivo, but those observations are unconfirmed. According to the study, Bipalium kewense has also been confirmed for the first time in Egypt and South Africa. The research team included Romain Gastineau, Andrianjaka Ravelomanana, Remondah Rushdy Ramzy, Marcel Koken, Suzelyce Eva Soavolamanoro, Christian Otis, Brian Boyle, Delphine Gey, Leigh Winsor and Jean-Lou Justine.
