REPORT New Blood Greater Mekong New Species Discoveries 2009 DRACULA FISH (DANIONELLA DRACULA) Britz, Conway & Rüber, 2009 Myanmar Written by Nancy Gephart, Geoffrey Blate, Colin McQuistan (WWF) and Christian Thompson (the green room) www.greenroomenvironmental.com Designed by Torva Thompson (the green room) Front cover photo: Danionella dracula, dracula minnow species © Natural History Museum, London © Text 2010 WWF WWF is one of the world’s largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global Network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. A fanged fish and a fangless snake, five new mammal species, a bald bird and a EXECUTIVE frog that sounds like a cricket are among the 145 species newly described by science SUMMARY in the Greater Mekong region during 2009. The Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia through which the Mekong River flows comprises the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Yunnan Province in southern China. The region is home to some of the planet’s most endangered wild species including tiger, Asian elephant, Mekong dolphin and Mekong giant catfish, in addition to hundreds of newly discovered species. Between 1997 and 2008 an incredible 1,231 species were discovered by science across this region alone1,2. While these discoveries reinforce the conclusion that the Greater Mekong is a biodiversity hotspot, with some being considered for IUCN Red List status, they also highlight the fragility of this region’s diverse species and habitats. The plight of the wild tiger whose numbers have dropped by a dramatic 70 percent in a little over a decade, and the likely local extinction of the Javan rhino in Vietnam are urgent reminders that 145 SPECIES biodiversity is still being lost at an alarming rate as a consequence of human activities. DISCOVERED IN 2009 IN Rapid unsustainable development is profoundly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services and consequently the millions of people who depend on them. Climate change THE GREATER MEKONG will likely amplify these changes. The combination of warming and shifting rainfall patterns are causing more extreme floods, droughts and storms. These changes are exacerbating non-climate pressures such as agricultural expansion and unsustainable infrastructure on natural ecosystems and the services they provide3. © Nikolai Orlov To resolve these growing regional pressures, a new, shared regional vision across the Greater Mekong is required, whereby biodiversity and ecosystems are conserved, in recognition of their vital role in maintaining resilience to climate change and reducing climate-related disaster risks. Environment Ministries cannot act alone. All sectors of government including economics, trade, fisheries and agriculture, must play a part if biodiversity loss is to be halted. © Supol Jitvijak One opportunity to coalesce regional coordination is the Global Environment Facility (GEF) under the UN Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). This facility provides grants to countries for projects that benefit the global environment and promote sustainable livelihoods, and offers a large scale financing opportunity to support conservation efforts. If the countries of the region commit a percentage of their GEF national allocations to a regional ecosystem-based climate change adaptation approach, additional GEF resources will be leveraged. This regional commitment and the associated financial resources would deliver coordinated ecosystem-based adaptation at the scale necessary to maintain the region’s resilience for the benefit of its people, economies and stunning biodiversity. Biodiversity concerns must be integrated across all parts of government and business, and the full value of biodiversity needs to be accounted for adequately in decision- making. Only then will we be able to address the problem and ensure a future for people and nature. New Blood: Greater Mekong New Species Discoveries 2009 1 Flooded forest, Kratie-Stung Treng, Cambodia, in the Mekong River Ecoregion. © Gordon Congdon An average of 3 new species are recorded by science each week in the Greater Mekong – A CLOSER a rate of discovery that marks this region as one of the frontiers for new species LOOK... discoveries on our planet. Discovered in a small It is after this distinctive Much about this unique stream in Myanmar, the feature that the species was species is still unknown, DRACULA Dracula minnow is one of aptly named dracula, after including its full range and the most unique newly the fanged Count Dracula endangered status. Despite FISH described species of 20094. in Bram Stoker’s novel. the fact that it was found In addition to the fangs, in high numbers in a small (DANIONELLA DRACULA) It is largely translucent this species can be stream, it is yet hard to and a maximum of 16.7mm distinguished because of its distinguish whether this long, making it similar in smaller skeleton. Already a unique species is endemic many ways to other miniature fish, the to a single ecosystem Danionella species. Danionella dracula is made within Myanmar, or spread However, there is one shorter by the absence of throughout the region as a fundamental difference 44 bones usually found whole. between this species and in the Danionella genus. its brethren: the presence Scientists attribute this size Danionella dracula was of fangs at the front of each difference to “a relatively selected as one of “The Top jaw. Although the simple case of 10 New Species” described evolutionary cause of these developmental truncation”, in 2009 by The fangs is unknown, they where the last 44 bones just International Institute for appear to be part of the failed to mature. Species Exploration at skeleton of fish in the Arizona State University species Danionella dracula. and an international committee of taxonomists5. © Natural History Museum, London + 26 in 2009 TWENTY-SIX NEW FISH SPECIES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE GREATER MEKONG IN 2009 4 New Blood: Greater Mekong New Species Discoveries 2009 First seen by scientists may be living in karst areas short series of whistled, over 15 years ago, the of Thailand and Vietnam, dry bubbling notes”. A BARE-FACED Bare-Faced Bulbul has however the unique habitat evaded discovery due to its of that specific Lao region Its tendency toward karsts BULBUL remote location and makes separate makes this species safe seemingly outrageous populations unlikely. In from habitat-loss in the (PYCNONOTUS HUALON) appearance. It is only addition, the bird’s short-term, as limestone known to live in the distinctive appearance formations with suitable sparse, deciduous forest on suggests that, if other habitat are protected limestone karsts in central populations do exist, we under Lao national law. Laos, where it was would have found them by Thus, chances are high that originally discovered6. now! If the Bare-Faced the majority of Bare-Faced Bulbul is indeed only Bulbuls are currently In 1995, R.J. Timmins saw found in central Laos, it residing within protected the bare-headed birds pass would be the country’s areas. However, such overhead, but after relating only endemic bird species limestone habitats are the sight to the rest of the discovered. threatened in the group, he “subsequently long-term by factors such weathered a fair amount The species is as quarrying and habitat of good-natured ribbing distinguished from other conversion. There is on relating the sighting to bulbuls by its appearance currently insufficient sceptical colleagues”. and vocalizations. Unlike data for this species to be Scientists continued to other species, Bare-Faced included on the IUCN Red think little of this unusual Bulbul lacks feathering on List. bulbul species until 2008, the face and the side of the when Timmins sighted the head, and has extensive The bird is the first bulbul species again, and pale blue skin on the rear discovered in Asia in a described it in full. of the head and around century, and is Asia’s only It is possible that other the eyes. Its most common known species of bald populations of the species vocalizations consist of “a songbird. © Iain Woxvold + 2 in 2009 TWO NEW BIRD SPECIES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE GREATER MEKONG IN 2009 New Blood: Greater Mekong New Species Discoveries 2009 5 A new species of The new species is known The area could be rich in venomous pitviper was only from Trung Khanh undiscovered reptile species A VENOMOUS recorded in karst region Nature Reserve, Cao Bang as a second, yet unnamed in Trung Khanh Nature Province, at elevations of species of pitviper from the PITVIPER Reserve, Cao Bang Province 500-700m above sea level. Viridovipera genus, was in northeastern Vietnam7. also discovered in the karst (PROTOBOTHROPS According to scientists, Asian pitvipers typically region of Cat Ba National TRUNGKHANHENSIS) the pitviper Protobothrops feed on a variety of other Park, Hai Phong Province. trungkhanhensis is an animals, including rodents, Practically all the species of extremely small size for lizards, amphibians, birds pitvipers in Vietnam are the Protobothrops genus, and even other snakes associated with karst measuring 70cm in length. including other pitvipers. habitats. With these two Both males and females There are now more than additions the total number of the species are grayish- 35 recognised species, with of karst-associated vipers brown with dark-brown many known to inhabit the will be increased to seven. patterns. The coloration Greater Mekong region. perfectly camouflages these snakes on karst rocks covered by various plants and tree waste. © Nikolai Orlov + 10 in 2009 TEN NEW REPTILES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE GREATER MEKONG IN 2009 6 New Blood: Greater Mekong New Species Discoveries 2009 This new species of thought to reside in arid threatened by the leaf-toed gecko, Dixonius climates near bodies of construction of roads and A LIPSTICK aaronbaueri, is water.