ross
20-09-2006, 05:18 PM
SCIENTISTS carrying out research in the Indonesian province of Papua say they have discovered dozens of new species underwater, including a shark that walks on its fins and a shrimp that looks like a praying mantis.
The research team from Conservation International, which is based in the US, claim to have found 52 new species, including 24 new species of fish, 20 species of coral and eight species of shrimp.
Among the highlights of the discoveries were two types of epaulette shark, a small, spotty creature.
Growing up to 1.2m (4ft) long, they are able to "walk" along the seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins.
Sebastian Troeng, director of Regional Marine Strategies at Conservation International, said that epaulette sharks' ability to walk enabled them to keep close to the seabed where they hunted for food, and to weave in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs.
"They are bottom-dwellers which feed on crustaceans such as crabs and snails as well as small fish, and being able to walk may give them an advantage in catching them," he said.
"Also, they are quite small sharks and not exactly at the top of the food chain, so being able to remain at the bottom by walking helps them to keep out of the way of predators themselves.
There are also theories suggesting that these types of shark, with their ability to "walk", are related to the first forms of marine life which made their way on to land.
Highlights included two apparently new species of epaulette sharks, which spend most of their time walking across the sea floor, swimming away when danger looms.
http://i10.tinypic.com/2irsq6r.png
Also found new Coral and stuff. And a new animal in a forest.. dunno what it is, lmao!
http://i9.tinypic.com/2vns2vq.png
The research team from Conservation International, which is based in the US, claim to have found 52 new species, including 24 new species of fish, 20 species of coral and eight species of shrimp.
Among the highlights of the discoveries were two types of epaulette shark, a small, spotty creature.
Growing up to 1.2m (4ft) long, they are able to "walk" along the seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins.
Sebastian Troeng, director of Regional Marine Strategies at Conservation International, said that epaulette sharks' ability to walk enabled them to keep close to the seabed where they hunted for food, and to weave in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs.
"They are bottom-dwellers which feed on crustaceans such as crabs and snails as well as small fish, and being able to walk may give them an advantage in catching them," he said.
"Also, they are quite small sharks and not exactly at the top of the food chain, so being able to remain at the bottom by walking helps them to keep out of the way of predators themselves.
There are also theories suggesting that these types of shark, with their ability to "walk", are related to the first forms of marine life which made their way on to land.
Highlights included two apparently new species of epaulette sharks, which spend most of their time walking across the sea floor, swimming away when danger looms.
http://i10.tinypic.com/2irsq6r.png
Also found new Coral and stuff. And a new animal in a forest.. dunno what it is, lmao!
http://i9.tinypic.com/2vns2vq.png