Where has been found the so called “leaf deer”?
The world’s smallest deer and a flying frog (well, okay, it glides really well) are among a mother lode of new species discovered in the Himalayas, scientists announced this week. Researchers made the discoveries after a decade-long exploration in remote mountain regions that stretch from parts of Bhutan and northeast India to the far north of Myanmar, Nepal, and the southern parts of the Tibet Autonomous Region (China). In a report released by the World Wildlife Federation, researchers catalogued 244 previously undocumented plants, 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, 2 birds, 2 mammals and at least 60 new invertebrates. In all, more than 350 new species were documented. One notable finding is a bright green, red-footed tree frog (Rhacophorus suffry) that uses its webbed feet to glide through the air. Researchers also uncovered the world’s oldest and smallest deer species, known as the miniature muntjac or “leaf deer.” The light brown creature was initially thought to be the young off
Examining the carcass of a deer they believed to be the juvenile of another species, the scientists were astounded to learn that the carcass was of an adult female of an unknown species. Obtaining specimens from local hunters, scientists conducted DNA analysis in a New York laboratory, confirming the so-called “leaf deer,” Muntiacus putaoensis, as a unique species. The muntjac group, with its 11 known living species, is the oldest known deer group, first appearing in the fossil record 15 to 35 million years ago. In 1999, scientists believed Muntiacus putaoensis to be found only near the town of Putao in Myanmar, where it was first discovered. Then in 2003, a team of Indian scientists reported that the leaf deer also inhabits the rainforests close to Namdapha Tiger Reserve in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Sources: http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2009/2009-08-11-01.
