200 new species including "psychedelic gecko" found in SE Asia

source: http://news.yahoo.com/elvis-monkey-p...134550375.html

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — A psychedelic gecko and a monkey with an "Elvis" hairdo are among 208 new species described last year by scientists in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia, a conservation group announced Monday.

The animals were discovered in a biodiverse region that is threatened by habitat loss, deforestation, climate change and overdevelopment, the WWF said in a report.

The newly described species include a "psychedelic gecko" in southern Vietnam and a nose-less monkey in a remote province of Myanmar that looks like it wears a pompadour.

"While this species, sporting an Elvis-like hairstyle, is new to science, the local people of Myanmar know it well," the Switzerland-based group said in its report.

The region is home to some of the world's most endangered species, including tigers, Asian elephants, Mekong dolphins and Mekong giant catfish, the group said.

"This is a region of extraordinary richness in terms of biodiversity but also one that is extremely fragile," said Sarah Bladen, communications director for WWF Greater Mekong. "It's losing biodiversity at a tragic rate."

The Mekong flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

In October, WWF announced Vietnam has lost its last Javan rhinoceros, making the 40 to 60 Javan rhinos living in Indonesia the last remaining members of their species.

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more:
A vibrantly-spotted newt (Tylototriton notialis) is seen on this undated handout released to Reuters by WWF on December 12, 2011. The new species of newt was discovered in Laos in 2010 and represents the first record of a specie from the genus Tylototriton from Laos.


A self-cloning lizard (Leiolepis ngovantrii)

Thanks for posting! That was awesome information and something that I didn't know!

I wanted to see the monkey with the "Elvis hairdo!"

Originally Posted by deborahbroadus

I wanted to see the monkey with the "Elvis hairdo!"

me too! I wish they had a picture but they only have a drawing:

Originally Posted by AbsoluteApril

me too! I wish they had a picture but they only have a drawing:

ROTFL... that looks nothing like Elvis'.

this is freaking awesome. now hopefully, this will encourage biologists to do something to help protect them :/

heres a link to one of the monkeys killed for food: http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/...pecies-in.html