The Greater Mekong Delta is home to some of the planet’s most biodiverse species. The Mekong River, originating in China’s Tibetan-Qinghai Plateau, flows south, eventually reaching Southern Vietnam where it empties into the South China Sea.
The mighty river is the beating heart of a region that encompasses Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Here, the flora and fauna is as diverse as the 300 million people who call it home. And 2015 turned out to be an incredible year for discovery in the region, with 163 amphibians, reptiles, plants and mammals identified.
Each year, researchers comb through dense jungles, caves, rivers, swamps and forest canopies, searching, racing against time, in fact, to ensure new species are found so they can be protected and saved. “The Greater Mekong region is a magnet for the world’s conservation scientists because of the incredible diversity of species that continue to be discovered here,” says Jimmy Borah, wildlife program manager for WWF-Greater Mekong, according to Fox News.
So without further ado, let’s look at some of the 163 species that include: nine amphibians, 11 fish, 14 reptiles, 126 plants and three mammals. Remember, now, that none of them were previously known to exist, and because of habitat destruction and poaching, we really don’t know if they will continue to exist.
Ziggy’s Stardust Snake
Parafimbrios lao, the rainbow-headed snake is native to Laos. Some researchers at WWF have likened it to David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” character. Ziggy is the 111th snake discovered in the country, and it was later determined that it was not only a new species, but the only member of a new genus.
Phuket Horned Tree Agamid
Acanthosaura phuketensis is a lowland-dwelling lizard native to Phuket Island and the Phuket mountain range in Southwest Thailand. Surprisingly, because Phuket Island is a big tourist destination, it has been ignored by researchers because most of the island has undergone deforestation.
But discoveries of a tree viper in 2011 and a gecko in 2012, gave biologists hope that more species may be hidden on the island, and the 2015 discovery was thrilling says conservation biologist Olivier Pauwels. He says that despite it’s fearsome “dragon-like horns, and crest,” the insect-eating lizard is completely harmless.
Purple Mouse-Eared Flower
The Impatiens kingdon-wardii is a small purple flower with petals that resemble mouse ears. The researchers found it at the top of Mt. Victoria in Myanmar. This little jewel has an interesting history. It seems that in 2002, Dr. Nobuyuki Tanaka was coming back down from a trek of Mt. Victoria, picking leeches off his arms and legs.
He looked down beside the trail and discovered this little purple flower, almost hidden beneath the foliage. What he didn’t know at the time was that the small flower was last seen by British botanist and explorer Frank Kingdon-Ward in 1956. The purple flower is a unique gem of the many native species within the Impatiens genus in Myanmar.
The Klingon Newt
Tylototriton anguliceps, the Klingon Newt is only the fourth species of newt to be found in Thailand. This little fellow is only 6 to 7 cm long and is distinguished by a dorsal ridge and unique red markings, all in all, a very handsome fellow that would certainly be welcome on the Starship Enterprise.
Dr. Porrawee Pomchote and his team journeyed to Chiang Rai province in Thailand, and with the discovery of the newt, the team has added to the country’s list of unique amphibians. But amphibians are especially sensitive to pesticides, and between deforestation and the increasing use of pesticides, this is the main threat to the Klingon Newt.
