New Species on Australian Reefs

ZHANG:
And also in Australia... scientists have discovered hundreds of new coral and marine species on the Great Barrier and Ningaloo Reefs. They say the discovery will help scientists understand more about global warming and over-fishing.

STORY:
Three expeditions to the reefs over four years to collect the first inventory of soft corals, found 300 soft corals of which 130 are new species.

Dozens of new marine species were found, including shrimp-like animals with claws longer than their bodies. They also found less-commonly known animals like a tongue-eating isopod parasite... which eats a fish's tongue and then lives in its mouth.

Australian Institute of Marine Science research scientist Julian Caley, says researchers never expected to find so many new species. It'll take years just to name them.

[Julian Caley, Research Scientist]:
"These new species, some are new species which people were, have never seen before because they're cryptic, they live in environments that people don't tend to look at."

The marine inventory will allow better understanding of reef biodiversity and climate change.

Corals face threats ranging from ocean acidification, pollution, and warming, to over-fishing and starfish outbreaks.

The Australian expeditions are part of the global Census of Marine Life, which will release its first global census in the year 2010.

Category:

Pets & Animals

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• Reefs
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[ThaRoostaManuva]

Wow. I didn't think modern humans were so sheltered.... The thing you speak of is an accent. It happens when people come from a DIFFERENT country. I know its hard to imagine but....

[MoringAfterStar]

no your just un able to listen to a different dialect. i could hear every word. so logically that means you cant UNDERSTAND what she is saying but we both HEAR her.

[DarkRezo]

whoa, they live in u'r mouth and they eat u'r thongue out.

Now that's a great anti-lier method :)

[devilknight69]

o GOD NEW POKEMON 

[yopaigemorris]

who cares about the accents and race? this is about new discoveries in the ocean damnit! why are the top rated comments NOT about marine life?

[barrowscasper12]

@Deathy666x ... i never said that what i said was 100% accurate you numnuts, its obvious that what i say is just guesses even a 12 year old could see that, and you really wasted your time to get those numbers? man i love it when people waste theyre time on things i say ^^

[Deathy666x]

@barrowscasper12 But any numbers drawn would be a GUESS, because we have no way of actually telling. Some scientist do make educated guesses, but there numbers are much higher then yours, somewhere in between 35-100 not 10. and as far as species forming, the numbers would also be higher. But then again 16,250 species were discovered in 2008. So NO ONE REALLY KNOWS. So ya.. your a fucking idiot.. now stfu

[Deathy666x]

@barrowscasper12 Really?cause im pretty sure you are a fucking idiot, No formal studies have been done on rates of extinction or rates that new species come into being. The only thing you did get right is that species are going extinct faster then new ones are forming. As far as your statistics, your pulling them out of your ass. about only 869 species have been recorded to go extinct since the 1500s,not to say that thousands havent been wiped out, or that were in a period of mass extinctions

[barrowscasper12]

@Deathy666x am i an idiot? dude im not saying that hose 10 animals are like fucking panda bears but like viruses, parasites etc etc etc dont be a fucking morron >.> there are more than 15 million species on land ALONE if 10 go extinct in 24 hours its no big deal >.> really think about it and think it through before calling someone an idiot

[Deathy666x]

@barrowscasper12 thats not true at all.. your a fucking idiot.l,

[barrowscasper12]

every 24 hours 10 animals extinct and every 24 hours 2 new species will form :)