 A New Snake
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June 27, 2003 — Seven species previously unknown to science — two frogs, two snakes, a pair of toads and a new lizard — were recently discovered in the mountains of Bolivia, said the BP Conservation Programme in a recent press release.
The discovery, which also includes a legion of new insect species, was made two years ago by a team of students from the University Major San Simon, Bolivia and the universities of Oxford and Glasgow, U.K.
The aim of the research project was to carry out the first assessment of the biological diversity, as well as to determine the conservation importance, of the yungas forests of the Cordillera de Mosetenes section of Isiboro Securé National Park, Bolivia.
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"Fifteen percent of the frog species in this forest are found nowhere else in the world," said project leader Ross MacLeod in the release, "so these two new frog species are a particularly significant find."
The discovery was confirmed by a leading authority on Bolivian amphibians and reptiles, tropical biologist Michael Harvey of Florida International University.
"The collection is very exciting and includes new frogs in the genera Phyllonastes and Phrynopus, as well as new snakes in the genera Liophis and Tomodon," said Harvey in the release.
A world beetle expert, Darren Mann of Oxford University, confirmed that the number of new insect species found by the expedition team is high.
"The material includes numerous examples of insects not represented in British collections and a large number of fly and beetle species new to science," Mann said in the release.
"These new discoveries help to spotlight the Bolivian Andes as a very important area for conservation," said Mann.
In addition to these finds, the team also discovered that the cloud forest screech owl — previously believed to exist only in Peru — lives in the largely unexplored valley of the Bolivian Cordilleras.
"Many other species are still undescribed in the High Andes and, given the current pace of habitat degradation, they may soon become extinct," MacLeod said in the release.
"We hope Bolivian conservation agencies can use our data to develop the first conservation management plan for this unique ecosystem and its key species."
The project, called Yungas 2001, was sponsored by the BP Conservation Program.
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