Newly Discovered ‘Vampire’ Hedgehog Found Among 234 New Species in Asia

In 2023, scientists in Southeast Asia’s Greater Mekong River region described an astonishing 234 new species. The discovery was announced in 2023. Report from the nature conservation organization WWF173 species of plants, 26 species of reptiles, 17 species of amphibians, 15 species of fish, and 3 species of mammals.

Since 1997, more than 3,500 new plant and vertebrate species have been identified in the region covered by this report, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with an average of 130 new species per year. I’m going up.

Here, we introduce six new species, including a hairy hedgehog named after a vampire, an almost invisible dragon lizard, and an endangered leafless orchid.

Hiromiz macaron

The furry hedgehog family pictured above is endemic to Vietnam. Hiromiz macaron It may seem innocuous, but its name is Macaron Means vampire in Vietnamese. It gets its name thanks to its long, pointed fangs, which remain hidden in this photo.

Hyposideros Kingston

This small leaf-nosed bat lives from Thailand to Borneo. confirmed by DNA analysis Hyposideros Kingston It was born as a new species in 2023.

It’s not known where these tiny bats, which weigh just 4.9 to 7 grams, roost. It has been seen near large limestone caves, suggesting that it may be hiding there, but it is also possible that it lives far from known caves, hiding in the hollows of trees. It is also possible that they are building a roost.

Laodracon calusticola

You need keen eyesight to spot this small lizard (Laodracon calusticola), which lives high on the tops of rugged karsts in Laos, which may explain why this species has been ignored by scientists until now. One of the earliest known sightings of this lizard was by a zipline tour guide.

Zhangixalus melanoleucus

This lime green tree frog (Zhangixalus melanoleucus) was discovered at an altitude of 2000 meters in the evergreen forest of Mount Phu Samsoon in northern Laos. Although the region is home to many other endemic species, it is one of the least studied regions in Asia.