20
THINGS
YOU
DIDN’T
KNOW
ABOUT...98 DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COM
research techniques. 11 Rainbow-colored C. wakanda
is a flashy fish, but in Australia, another new species
stands out by staying subdued. Described in June in
Evolutionary Systematics, an unusual spider sticks to
a black-and-white color scheme, unlike the far more
flamboyant members of its genus. 12 Inspired by its clas-
sic fashion sense, researchers named the tiny arachnid
— less than a quarter-inch long — after the late designer
Karl Lagerfeld, whose signature look included a white
shirt and black gloves. 13 Lagerfeld also was rarely seen
without large black sunglasses, though shades would be
of little value to his namesake, Jotus karllagerfeldi. Like
other jumping spiders, it relies on excellent vision to
hunt prey. 14 A very different two-toned icon inspired
the name of a new wasp: Sathon oreo’s b r o w n - a n d - w h i t e
striped antennae apparently reminded a researcher
of the famously dunkable cookie. 15 Described in
February in Zootaxa, S. oreo lives in southeastern
Australia, as does another parasitic wasp described in
the same study: Choeras zygon. Named after Dr. Who
villains, C. zygon deposits its eggs in living caterpillars,
which become a movable feast for developing larvae.
16 In Florida, sea slug Olea hensoni slurps up eggs for
supper. And, well, that’s weird. O. hensoni, which is
about the size of a grain of rice, is a sacoglossan, a type
of sea slug known for its seaweed-eating ways. 17 Of the
300 or so species of sacoglossa sea slugs, 297 are vegans.
Three species — now including O. hensoni — evolved
to pierce gelatinous clumps of eggs deposited by other
slugs and snails, and then suck up the nutritious food
source within. 18 Though it’s just across the pond, so to
speak, from the Mediterranean egg-slurping sacoglos-
san, O. hensoni is more closely related to the third egg-
eater, which lives in the northeastern Pacific. 19 You’d
have to suck a lot of eggs to make a meal out of the young
of three new frog species from Madagascar. Described
in March in Plos One, the tiny trio could sit together on
your thumbnail. 20 Like many researchers who turned
up new species in 2019, the team had some fun naming
the nano-frogs, which comprise the new genus Mini:
Mini scule, Mini ature and Mini mum. DGemma Tarlach is senior editor at Discover.1 Biological discoveries can be downright shocking.
In September in Nature Communications, biologists
identified two new electric eels, the first additions to
the Electrophorus genus in 250 years. 2 Of course, we
use the term eel loosely. True eels spawn in saltwater;
electric eels are actually freshwater fish that never leave
their environment. 3 One of the slippery new species,
E. voltai, discharges a zap of 860 volts, significantly
more than the previous electric eel
record holder of 650 volts. The power-
packed electro-punch makes E. voltai
the world’s greatest bioelectricity gen-
erator. 4 Researchers believe E. voltai
may have evolved its super-shocking
skills because it makes its home in
exceptionally clear water, which has
lower conductivity than murkier flows.
5 All three known electric eel species
live in the greater Amazon region, which
faces an existential threat because of
logging, slash-and-burn agriculture,
toxic runoff from mining operations and other human
activities. 6 We’re also the biggest threat to the sur-
vival of a new species of flying squirrel in southern
China, reported in July. The mountain woodlands
where Biswamoyopterus gaoligongensis lives are at
risk of agricultural development. 7 Forest loss puts
new and old animal species in danger — but some-
times, the forest is the new species. That’s the case for
Mischogyne iddii, a new species of tree identified in
June; it’s restricted to an area of about 3 square miles
in Tanzania. 8 M. iddii grows to an impressive height
of more than 65 feet, but it’s surprising that it grows
in East Africa at all: All other members of its genus
take root on the continent’s western coast or interior.
9 Just offshore from M. iddii’s neighborhood, a new
species of fairy wrasse earned instant superhero status
when researchers described it in the journal ZooKeys.
The small fish, Cirrhilabrus wakanda, is named for the
legendary African homeland of Marvel Comics’ Black
Panther. 10 C. wakanda’s real home is just as intriguing:
It dwells in the little-studied mesophotic reef world.
These low-light ecosystems, ranging in depth from
about 100 to 500 feet, are mostly beyond the range of
conventional scuba divers but too shallow for deep-sea
DISCOVER (ISSN 0274-7529, USPS# 555-190) is published eight times per year (January/February, March/April, May, June, July/August, September/October, November and December). Vol. 41, no. 1. Published by Kalmbach
Media Co., 21027 Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Periodical postage paid at Waukesha, WI, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DISCOVER, P.O. Box
8520, Big Sandy, TX 75755. Canada Publication Agreement # 40010760. Back issues available. All rights reserved. Nothing herein contained may be reproduced without written permission of Kalmbach Media Co., 21027
Crossroads Circle, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612. Printed in the U.S.A. FROM^ TOP
:^ MAR
K^ NEWTO
N,^ CEN
AK
;^ E
RINN^ FAGAN- JE
FFR
IES;^ ANDY
MARS
HALL;LUIZ^ ROCHA
©^2018 CAL
IFORN
IA^
AC
ADEMY^ OF^ SCIENCESBY GEMMA TARLACHNew Species
From top:
Jumping spider Jotus
karllagerfeldi strikes
a pose; Sathon oreo’s
two-toned antennae
apparently made one
researcher hungry;
Tanzanian tall tree
Mischogyne iddii
features delicate
blooms; flashy fish
Cirrhilabrus wakanda
lives up to its
Marvel-ous name.