New species are discovered all
the time. Sadly, species seem to go extinct just as often. However, it is
uncommon for a species that was once thought to be extinct to be
“rediscovered,” but it does happen. This can be very exciting for the
scientific community, especially when one of these “rediscovered” species, also
known as Lazarus species, has been thought to have gone extinct millions of
years ago. The following are five Lazarus species. Some have only been
“missing” for a few decades, others for millions of years. All of them are endangered.
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| Pygmy Tarsier Habitat Courtesy of IUCN Red List of Threatened Species |
Lazarus Species: Pygmy Tarsier
Pygmy Tarsiers are adorable
little primates that look like a cross between Gizmo and the gremlins from the
movie Gremlins. They weigh roughly two ounces and are covered in thick fur.
They have large, wide eyes that they don’t move because they can move their
heads 180 degrees in both directions. They have very long legs in relation to
their body size and long, thin fingers that end in claws.
Until recently, Pygmy Tarsiers
were thought to be extinct. The last time that these creatures had been seen
was in 1921. They were found again in 2000. Scientists were trapping rats on
Mt. Rore Katimbo in Indonesia when they accidentally killed one with a trap.
The scientists reported the discovery and accidental killing of the creature.
This prompted a professor, her student and a group of local Indonesians to
search for a live specimen.
Three live Tarsier Pygmies have
been found, two males and one female. The research team equipped them with
radio collars, so they could track their movement and possibly find more.
Unfortunately, a hawk ate the female. At this time, it is unknown just how rare
these creatures are. However, it is almost certain that they are critically
endangered.
Lazarus Species: Laotian Rock
Rats
Laotian Rock Rats are small
rodents that resemble something of a mix between a rat and a squirrel. They
have beady eyes, long whiskers and are covered in a dark gray fur. Their tails
are more like that of a squirrel than that of a rat. However, they are less
fluffy. They do not walk like either a rat or a squirrel. Their walk has been
likened to the waddle of a duck. Because their natural habitats are limestone
outcroppings in central Laos, they have had no need to adapt to life in trees.
The Laotian Rock Rat was found
again in a market in Laos. Unfortunately, the creature was dead and was being
sold for its meat. The incident was reported in Science Magazine in 2005.
Another specimen (this one alive) was recently discovered by a research team,
led by a retired professor from Florida State University. The animal has since
been photographed, videotaped and released back into its natural habitat. How
many more of them there are, if any, is uncertain.
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| Coelacanth up close Photo by Pascalou Petit |
Lazarus Species: Coelacanth
The Coelacanth is a large and
impressive fish. There are two known species of them. One dwells in the waters
off of the Comoros Islands in Africa; the other can be found in the ocean near
Sulawesi, Indonesia. They live in depths of up to 2,300 feet.
Coelacanths can grow to be up to six and a half feet in length and weigh up to
198 pounds. They possess two fins that stick out from their bodies. These fins
work in an alternating pattern like legs. It is thought that these fish may be
a link in the evolutionary chain.
Coelacanths were previously
thought to have gone extinct right around the same time as the dinosaurs-65
million years ago. A live specimen was
discovered in 1938 by a museum curator on a fishing boat. Since then, these
fish have been well documented in the wild.
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| Arakan Forest Turtle |
Lazarus Species: Arakan Forest
Turtle
Arakan Forest Turtles are small
turtles. They grow up to 11 inches in length and can weigh 7-10 pounds. They
are primarily dormant when they are not eating or foraging. They are
omnivorous. Their diet consists of fish, fruit, crustaceans and insects, among
other things. They can be found in the rivers and streams in Arakan, Burma.
Arakan Forest Turtles were
thought to be extinct until a dead specimen was discovered in a Burmese market.
It was being sold for meat. It is very common for people in the area to kill
turtles for food and medicine and so the Arakan Forest Turtle’s future may be
very precarious. Captive breeding conservation efforts are currently underway.
Lazarus Species: Worcester’s
Buttonquail
Not much is known about the
rare, if not now extinct, Worcester’s Buttonquail. This bird was previously only
known through dead museum specimens and drawings of them. One was found on
Luzon Island in the Philippines in 2009. A picture was taken of the animal.
However, it was killed and eaten shortly after the photo was taken.
Sources
Dell ‘Amore, Christine, 2/18/09,
retrieved 2/3/10, news.nationalgeopgraphic.com/news/2009/02/090218-extinct-bird-photo.html
Coelacanth, retrieved 2/2/10,
animals.nationalgeopgraphic.com/animals/fish/coelacanth
Arakan Forest Turtle, retrieved
2/2/10, sooatlanta.org/home/animals/reptiles/arakan_forest_turtle
Laotian rock rat rediscovered
after 11 million years, retrieved 2/2/10,
wildlifeextra.com/go/news/new-laotianrockrat.html#cr
Bryner, Jeanna, 11/19/08, Tiny
Primates Found Alive Again in Indonesian Rainforest, retrieved 2/2/10,
foxnews.com/story/0,2933,454664,00.html
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