- Researchers and local nature enthusiasts described 234 new-to-science species across the Greater Mekong region in 2023.
- Among the new assortment of critters are sweet-smelling plants, glamorous snakes, a dragon lizard, a psychedelic-orange crocodile newt, and several new mammals, including a mole shrew and a fanged hedgehog.
- The Greater Mekong is a fast-developing region of Southeast Asia, characterized by intensive agriculture, internationally significant inland fisheries and rapid urban expansion.
- As such, the newly described species and their habitats are under pressure from multiple threats, not least from the illegal wildlife trade that also flourishes in the region. Experts say consistent and concerted action is required to secure their future.
The dense tropical forests, isolated mountain peaks and limestone karst caverns of the Greater Mekong region yielded a remarkable 234 new-to-science species in 2023, according to a new report compiled by WWF.
A striking orange-and-black crocodile newt recorded at the highest ever elevation for its type, a karst dragon lizard that represents an entirely new genus, and a shrew mole that tips the scales at only 8 grams, or less than 0.3 ounces, qualifying it among the top 10 lightest land mammals on Earth, feature among the new assortment of species.
Nature enthusiasts and researchers in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, along with experts at global museums, described 173 plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fish and three mammals previously unknown to science. The 2023 haul brings the total number of newly described species in the region since 1997 to 3,623.
“Although these species were just described by science last year, they have been living in the unique habitats of our region for many millennia,” said Chris Hallam, head of wildlife and wildlife crime at WWF-Greater Mekong. “Each of these species is a critical piece of a functioning, healthy ecosystem and a jewel in the region’s rich natural heritage.”
Other new curiosities include a species of wild ginger with roots that smell like mango; a red-and-green pit viper with scales sculpting the appearance of glamorous eyelashes around its eyes; and a soft-furred hedgehog that makes up for its lack of pointy spines with formidable incisors, described by researchers as “fangs” and reflected in its scientific name, Hylomys macarong, which includes the Vietnamese word for “vampire.”
Many of the species were discovered on mountaintops, often called “sky islands” by researchers because they function like islands in evolution. Isolated populations in these areas often evolve into distinct species. “There’s a huge elevation range [in the region], from estuarine and coastal areas all the way up to the Annamite Mountain Range along the spine between Laos and Vietnam, so you get all these different species occurring,” Hallam told Mongabay.
Multiple paths of discovery
The new descriptions were the result of hundreds of separate collaborations and studies, the WWF report notes. However, common pathways of discovery emerged, including fruitful collaborations between scientists and local communities, and the power of historical museum collections to reveal new facets of the tree of life.
Indeed, decades-old specimens stored in museums formed the basis of numerous discoveries. Natural history collections represent “the memory of life on our planet,” Gernot Vogel, a researcher who contributed to the 2023 results, says in the report. “Some specimens I examine are more than 200 years old and still tell us news about their biology and distribution.”
Citizen science also plays a growing role in taxonomy, especially in parts of the region riven by conflict. Myanmar botanist Mya Bhone Maw described a new plant, Begonia kayinensis, with help from local plant enthusiasts on social media, she says in the report. “In a time when conducting floristic exploration across [Myanmar] is increasingly challenging, the contributions of local communities and citizen scientists have been invaluable,” she says.
Serendipity also led to some discoveries. During a high-altitude survey in northern Vietnam, researcher Luan Thanh Nguyen’s broken headlamp indirectly led to the discovery of a new species of snake. “Two local porters who were supporting the survey returned to the nearby town to get it fixed,” Luan says in the report. “When they got back, they gave me a very stunning male snake that they found on the path.” The snake turned out to be a new species of keelback snake covered with ridged scales. The team named it Rhabdophis hmongorum for the H’mong people who live in the area.
Threats are all around
The Greater Mekong is a fast-developing part of Southeast Asia, home to sweeping agricultural landscapes, rapidly expanding urban centers, and the world’s largest inland fishery, where pressure on wildlife and natural habitats is severe.
Rampant illegal logging, construction of massive hydropower dams, impacts of climate change and the illegal wildlife trade are also taking an environmental toll on the region. Thus, many of the newly described species are already in peril, prompting advocates to call for consistent and concerted action to secure their future.
“Many species are likely to go extinct before they are even discovered,” the report says. “These species may be the key to discovering a new life-saving pharmaceutical, or a more bacteria-resistant species of edible plant, or a genetic variant of a genus that can help an entire taxa become more resilient to climate change.”
Among the new species, the habitat of the H’mong keelback snake is under pressure from overgrazing and forest cutting for fuelwood to sustain a burgeoning local tourism industry. Meanwhile, the only known habitat of an entirely new genus of palm tree in Vietnam is being logged and cleared for timber plantations.
Hallam said the illegal wildlife trade is a particularly acute threat in the region. Many natural habitats are riddled with snares. “We’ve estimated there are 12 million snares in protected areas across the [region] at any one time.” Trade is often driven by local demand for wild meat on the menus of high-priced restaurants, but it also extends to species exploited for traditional medicines and the exotic pet trade, he said.
Indeed, several of the new species were discovered in the trade, including orchids and aquarium fish. The rise of online wildlife trade poses new challenges for the scientists and officials tracking and policing the trade. “We must ensure that these species are described and understood so that we don’t lose them to overexploitation before they’re ever described in the wild,” said Jedsada Taweekan, illegal wildlife trade regional program manager at WWF-Greater Mekong.
In some cases, it might be necessary to introduce legislation to protect newly described species. In Vietnam, for instance, a 2021 government decree was rolled out to protect all crocodile newts. Some 15 new species of the flamboyantly colored amphibians vulnerable to collection for the pet trade have been described in the past five years. They are also strictly regulated under CITES, the global wildlife trade convention, and are the focus of a dedicated conservation breeding program.
The 234 new species underscore what’s at stake in the region if habitat degradation and unsustainable trade continues, Hallam said. “It takes a special type of person to do this research,” he said. “The amount of effort that goes into this work is huge … And just think if it was better funded, how much more we could be discovering each year.”
Banner image: Hylomys macarong, a soft-furred hedgehog with sharp incisors. Image © Alexei V. Abramov.
Carolyn Cowan is a staff writer for Mongabay.
See related story:
Vietnam’s mammals need conservation within and outside their range: Study
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