‘Vampire’ hedgehog among 234 new species identified in Asia
The Greater Mekong region of Asia hosts a wealth of rare and unstudied species – 173 new species of plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fish and three mammals were described last year. Here are six of them
By Luke Taylor
16 December 2024
The vampire-like Hylomys macarong hedgehog
Alexei V. Abramov
An extraordinary 234 new species were described by scientists in the Greater Mekong region of South-East Asia in 2023. The finds, announced in a report from conservation organisation WWF, include 173 species of plants, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fish and three mammals.
Since 1997, more than 3500 new plant and vertebrate animal species have been identified in the area the report covers, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – an average of 130 a year.
Here are six of the new species, including a furry hedgehog named after vampires, an almost invisible dragon lizard and a leafless orchid on the verge of extinction.
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Hylomys macarong
The furry member of the hedgehog family pictured above is endemic to Vietnam. Hylomys macarong may look innocuous, but its name macarong means vampire in Vietnamese. It got its moniker thanks to its long, pointed fangs, which remain hidden in this picture.
Hipposideros kingstonae
The Hipposideros kingstonae bat Pipat Soisook
This tiny leaf-nosed bat can be found from Thailand to Borneo. DNA analysis confirmed that Hipposideros kingstonae was a new species in 2023.
