Discovering New Species

[Navin]

In Singapore, a local newspaper recently published an article about a Biologist who after doing many years of research in Singapore found 150 new species of flies.

I found the article extremely interesting. I was very excited even more so because I aspire to be a Biologist and would love to perform such research like that in the future.

I talked about this to a friend in my school. I told him that 150 new species of flies were found in Singapore. His response then set me thinking. This is what he said: SO What?

Now that I have reflected about it, I too do not understand what is the purpose of discovering new species. Will such findings of new species really effect the Biology world? What is the purpose of such research?

I would love to hear your opinions (and facts too) about this. Thanks a lot everyone!

[February Beetle]

When you find a new species, for most people who say "so what" a good reason for that so what is to see what humans can gain from this species. I know this sounds horrible but that is the way a lot of people think of animals. We use horseshoe crab's blood for a lot of different experiments. We got penicillin from a bacterium.

Another thing is why it is important to a biology world is because, I think any gain of knowledge is good to help understand the world around us. I know flies seem unimportant but I've seen huge huge books on just one species of fly, you know what I mean? Plus, if you watch CSI Grissom uses insects a lot to solve crimes. lol. I know it isn't real, but still interesting. I'm sure someone does something like that somewhere.

New species are good for understanding more about evolution, how many missing links are there? countless and when we find missing links we gain great understanding.

That's what comes to mine when I read your post, but I have a new keyboard so I'm alittle typing crazy!

[Navin]

Thanks a lot. I found your post to be extremely informative. Yes, I guess it is sad to see humans who want to gain something out of species.

So, I guess that the flies would help fill some of those missing links and i feel that maybe we should just take a step back and admire the wonderful diversity of life.

[Navin]

I've just read another extremely interesting article about the discovery of a "Lost world" in Indonesia - previously untouched by humans. There, they found many new species of plants and animals - all of them looking so beautiful. Researchers have even described the place as the "Garden of Eden". This article here is a must read! Don't miss it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4688000.stm

Attached below is a picture of a species of microhylid frog.

I've also attached a picture of a golden-mantled tree kangaroo that was found in the "Lost World". I think it is just so adorable.

[Navin]

If anyone has read any article about the discovery of new species, please post it here. I would love to read about them and perhaps see some pictures. Thanks!

[opuntia]

Those articles were awesome!

[alextemplet]

Lots of people admire great works of art, even though art doesn't have very much practical purpose at all. People expect science to always have an immediate benefit to make our lives better. There's certainly nothing wrong if it does, but sometimes it's just enough for science to amaze us and impress us just like a great work of art. Discovering new species, never before seen by any human eyes, certainly serves that purpose.

[mith]

You could basically ask so what to anything...but that doesn't make it any less important.

[AstusAleator]

new, undocumented populations are always important to ecology, as they open up a new field that can be studied. Ecologists are always seeking to test ecological principles, and "new" species and their corresponding ecosystems have the potential to answer previously unanswered questions.

[th1_rhs13]

When you find a new species, for most people who say "so what" a good reason for that so what is to see what humans can gain from this species. I know this sounds horrible but that is the way a lot of people think of animals. We use horseshoe crab's blood for a lot of different experiments. We got penicillin from a bacterium.

Wrong, Deutromycota is the derivative of penecilium: the imperfect fungi. Which is the Phylla of said Domain, however, this method of kingdoms is rather dated and no longer in use. As far as new discovery of species, well I'm sure the Taxonmists are having a ball, and may insight many to further thier research.

[David George]

It may have been seen thousands of times by fishermen, but this new species of shark was officially discovered by scientists only recently in Mexico's Gulf of California. The shark was found in a deep-sea fishing catch in 2003, making it the first new shark species to be identified in the gulf in over 30 years. The discovery was announced in the journal Copeia in December. The species, known as Mustelus hacat, grows up to three and a quarter feet (one meter) long and lives at depths of more than 650 feet (200 meters).

[camilla]

When it comes to findings and recordings of new species they have another purpose as well: in conservation biology.

Every day hundreds of species are lost from the face of the earth. All around the world populations and species go extinct, a lot of them due to human impact, pollution, habitat degradation and loss, etc.

The majority of these species are never recorded and is lost without us ever knowing that they existed. We do not know what their function is in the ecosystem, is it a keystone species, was it a predator, a parasite, did it influence other species in survival or reproduction, or maybe it had a functioning role in the ecosystem...????

The conservation biologists deal with the issues of preserving the biodiversity of the world. Species diversity is important for evolution and selection, if we do not keep a diversity what is there for evolution to select on?

Conservation biology is also asking the question WHY should we perserve species, and suggest a whole lot of answers touching many areas of both human and non-human reasons.

Recording new species is actually considered highly important for conservation biologists, but they do not have the resources to do it fast enough. We must know about the natural world, the species in it and their function, habitat requirements, and so on, to be able to preserve.

When it comes to number of insect species, J.B.S Haldane said: "The Lord must have an inordinate fondness for beetles"

I very much want to read the article. Any links?

Camilla