Hyloscirtus princecharlesi. Photo by Luis A. Coloma.

Researchers discovered two frog species in Ecuador and named one in honor of Prince Charles.

• Two previously unknown frog species were found in the highly endangered cloud forests of Ecuador.
• One species was named Hyloscirtus princecharlesi, in honor of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, for the royal’s work to preserve tropical forests.  The second species is called Hyloscirtus cryptico.
• Hyloscirtus princecharlesi was first identified by Luis A. Coloma, an Ecuadorian scientist. In 2009 he collected specimen in the wild at Reserva Las Gralarias, a private nature reserve.
• Both species live in montane forest streams, a habitat that has been particularly affected by the chytrid fungus epidemic.
• The chytrid fungus epidemic has killed untold numbers of amphibians globally and driven dozens of species to extinction since the early 1980s.
• Amphibians are at great risk globally due to habitat loss, introduced diseases like the chytrid fungus, over-harvesting, the effects of climate change, pollution, and invasive species.
• More than two out of every five amphibians assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are considered threatened.

CITATION: LUIS A. COLOMA at al. Molecular phylogenetics of stream treefrogs of the Hyloscirtus larinopygion group (Anura: Hylidae), and description of two new species from Ecuador. Zootaxa 3364: 1–78 (2012) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/

Want to read more?  Click here to see the full story: New Colorful Rainforest Frog Named After Prince Charles.

Uroptychus cartesi. Photo by: Antonio Punzon/IEO

A new species of ‘squat lobster’ was discovered recently off the coast of Spain.

• Scientists discovered a tiny crustacean on a deep-sea mountain (1,410 meters below sea level) off the coast of Spain.
• The new species has been given the scientific name: Uroptychus cartes.
• The little crustacean is more closely related to crabs, though the family is commonly referred to as squat lobsters.
• Uroptychus cartes measures just 5-7 centimeters.
• This tiny critter was discovered by Spain’s INDEMARES program, which is exploring the country’s marine riches with a goal toward conservation.

Want to read more?  Click here to see the full story:  New tiny crustacean discovered in deep sea off Europe 

Fire in the Peruvian Amazon

The risk of fires in the Peruvian Amazon increases because of droughts, the construction of new roads, and people moving out of the rainforest and into the city.

•  Fire risk is increasing in the Amazon as a result of warmer, drier conditions related to a warmer tropical Atlantic Ocean.
• More roads are being built throughout the forest.  These new roads attract large-scale agriculture operations and cattle ranches that often use fire for land-clearing.
• Scientist Maria Uriarte recently reported a new reason for increased fires: people moving out of the Amazon rainforest and into the cities.
• Many farmers use controlled burns as a part of their farming technique to clear land and dense understory growth. They often coordinate with neighboring farms to control these fires.
• Fewer farmers mean it is more difficult to control these fires. There are also less people around to report fires that get out of control.
• Fires in the Amazon are a global concern. Even small fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂) that were once stored in the trees and plants. Also, after just 2-3 fires, Amazon rainforest can turn into savanna grassland.
• Maria Uriarte suggests some possible solutions for these fires: setting up an early warning systems for vulnerable places and communities, creating rewards for people who stay in rural areas, and encouraging ranchers and farmers not to use fire on their lands.

Want to read more?  Click here to see the full story: Fire Risk to increase in the Amazon

Photo Credit: Thomas Breuer/Wildlife Conservation Society

Elephant populations are falling in the Central African country of Republic of Congo due to illegal poaching, according to a new survey.

• Elephants are hunted illegally (poached) for their ivory tusks.
• Most of this ivory is sold in China and Vietnam, but some does end up in the United States and Europe.
•  The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) surveyed the forest elephant populations outside of the Republic of Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park from 2006 until 2011.
• The WCS survey found that the number of elephants outside of the park had decreased by more than half, dropping from 13,000 to 6,000 elephants in that short period of time.
• However, because Nouabalé-Ndoki has more regulation and guards against poaching, inside the park African elephant population stayed about the same.
• WCS is calling for an increased effort to protect elephant populations in Africa.
• African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are different from the savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana). The savanna elephant is the larger and better-known species.
• African forest elephants are also found in the following African countries: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo (DRC), and Central African Republic

Read more: Elephant numbers halved in Central Africa in 5 years.

Scientists have discovered a chain of life that connects trees, bird droppings, plankton and manta rays and shown how human disturbance is affecting this complex system.

• This research was conducted on the Palmyra atoll in the Pacific Ocean
• An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon. Atolls are important places for birds to roost (or rest).
• On the Palmyra atoll, birds roost in trees that are native to the island.
• Droppings from the birds fall into the soil, filling it with nutrients.
• The soil washes into the sea and plankton survive on these nutrients.
• The manta rays feed on the plankton.
• Scientists have found that when the native trees on the island are replaced with planted palm trees, fewer birds visit the atoll and this chain of life is disturbed.
• Fewer trees = less birds visiting = fewer droppings = less nutrients in the water = less plankton = fewer manta rays.
• This research is important because it shows us that life is connected in very complex ways and that our actions may affect the web of life in ways we cannot imagine.

Read more: http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0604-hance-seabirds-mantarays.html#ixzz1xIoOHW00