Wildlife News Roundup - September 2008

In this issue of Wildlife News Round-Up, there's news of whale songs reverberating through the waters just outside of New York Harbor, the rediscovery of a supposedly extinct frog in the rain forests of Honduras, and the naming of over 100 new species of sharks and rays. The WWF also issued a somber report this month indicating that the year 2008 may see the lowest levels of Arctic sea ice in recorded history. There are also several discoveries including insights into the evolutionary history of ostriches, emus, and cassowaries, and the eating habits of wolves (it turns out they prefer salmon to deer, given the choice).

• New Birdlike Dinosaur Found in Argentina (National Geographic) — September 29, 2008. A new fossil, Aerosteon riocoloradensis, was found in Argentina which could provide novel insight into the early evolution of birds' lung systems.
• 'Extinct' Frog Found in Honduras, Experts Say (National Geographic) — September 26, 2008. Craugastor milesi, a frog that inhabits the rain forests of Honduras, was thought to have gone extinct two decades ago but it was recently rediscovered by a herpetologist working in the region.
• What Goes Into Naming A New Species? A Lot (NPR) — September 23, 2008. When a new species is discovered, the person who made the discovery has the privilege of naming it. This convention has led to a number of surprising species names, such as a group of slime-mold eating beetles named after President George W. Bush and members of his cabinet and an ancient trilobite named after Sid Vicious.
• Extinct Galapagos Tortoise Could Be Resurrected (National Geographic) — September 23, 2008. Scientists from Yale University believe a species of giant tortoise that once roamed the Galapagos Islands and was thought to be extinct for over a century may not be gone after all.
• 113 New Sharks and Rays Announced in Australia (National Geographic) — September 21, 2008. Scientists have announced 113 new species of sharks and rays, half of which inhabit the waters around Australia.
• Early Whales Used Well Developed Back Legs For Swimming, Fossils Show (Science Daily) — September 18, 2008. Fossils from Alabama and Mississippi have given scientists insights into the early evolution of whales and suggest that the first whales were four-footted, semi-aquatic creatures that used their back legs for swimming.
• Near New York Harbor, the Song of Whales (New York Times) — September 17, 2008. A team of scientists have recorded northern right whales and humpback whales just outside of New York Harbor as they passed through the area as they migrated between the waters off New England and Florida.
• 2008 On Track For Lowest-Ever Sea Ice In Arctic (WWF) — September 15, 2008. The WWF announced that the year 2008 may well see the lowest levels of Arctic sea ice ever recorded. They cited a loss in ice thickness as a major concern.
• Long-held Assumptions Of Flightless Bird Evolution Challenged By New Research (Science Daily) — September 7, 2008. Ostriches, emus, and cassowaries do not share a common flightless ancestor as once believed. Instead, each species lost the ability to fly independently of each other.
• Wolves Would Rather Eat Salmon (Science Daily) — September 4, 2008. Recent research suggests that wolves, when given the choice, prefer to eat salmon over deer.

About Wildlife News Roundup

Wildlife News Roundup is a monthly digest featuring animals and wildlife headlines from around the web. It includes headlines from well-established sources such as the World Wildlife Fund, BBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio, National Geographic, and Birdlife International. The sources are selected with care and include only those that archive articles for many years, offer top-notch science writing, and follow stories as they develop over time.

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