Top 10 Newly Discovered Species of 2015

By dr. dolittle on December 31, 2015.

As 2015 comes to an end, I always love to review the top newly named species of the year. Here are the top 10 (in alphabetical order) as determined by an international taxonomist committee:

LOVE the cartwheeling spider!!

Source:

State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF).

More like this

Advertisment

Donate

ScienceBlogs is where scientists communicate directly with the public. We are part of Science 2.0, a science education nonprofit operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please make a tax-deductible donation if you value independent science communication, collaboration, participation, and open access.

You can also shop using Amazon Smile and though you pay nothing more we get a tiny something.

Science 2.0

Science Codex

More by this author

We're moving!!!!

October 30, 2017

You may be wondering why I have been so sentimental even though the year is not over yet. I am happy to inform you that it is not because I am retiring. On the contrary, I am packing up my virtual bags and moving this blog to a new site! Pardon the dust while we get settled into our new digs.

#1: Is there an evolutionary advantage to "being stupid"?

October 30, 2017

And the #1 blog entry published thus far in 2017 discussed whether there was an evolutionary advantage to being stupid: ---- As I was looking through the scientific literature the other day, I came across an article published in 1973, "The Evolutionary Advantages of Being Stupid." With a title like…

#2: A Truly Extraordinary Octopus

October 25, 2017

Who could forget the second most popular blog post so far this year. Seeing an octopus walk never gets old! ------- I came across this amazing video on YouTube showing a species of octopus found in Northern Australia that is adapted to walk on land:

#3: Zebra Finches Reward Themselves for singing well

October 23, 2017

The #3 post so far this year explored how zebra finches reward themselves for singing well: Dopamine is an important hormone released from neurons involved in reward pathways. Researchers at Cornell University wanted to know if dopamine signaling was involved in how birds learn songs. Their…

#4: Komodo Dragons have antibacterial blood

October 19, 2017

Here is the 4th most popular post so far this year: Picture of a komodo dragon by CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Researchers studying komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) at George Mason University discovered 48 previously unknown peptides in their blood that might have antimicrobial…