- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 5,769
- Points
- 48
http://tw.news.yahoo.com/世界最小變色龍-僅成人指尖大-023157834.html
[h=1]世界最小變色龍 僅成人指尖大[/h]
<cite class="byline vcard">作者： NewTalk 新頭殼 | 新頭殼 – <abbr title="2012-02-17T02:31:57Z">2012年2月17日 上午10:31</abbr></cite>
[h=3]相關內容[/h]
新頭殼newtalk 2012.02.17 楊宗興/綜合報導
生物學又有最新發現，科學家昨（16）日宣布，他們在東非馬達加斯加島上發現一種變色龍，全長僅2.9公分，是目前世界上最小的變色龍品種。
路透社報導指出，這項發現是德國和美國研究人員組成的研究團隊之成果，他們在在馬達加斯加北海岸外的諾西哈拉（Nosy Hara）島發現這種迷你變色龍，學名為「Brookesia micra」，「Brookesia」代表分布在馬達加斯加島上的一屬變色龍屬，「micra」則是希臘文「微小」之意。
德國慕尼黑邦立動物學蒐藏研究中心 （Zoological State Collection Munich）科學家葛羅（Frank Glaw）告訴路透社：「這種變色龍很難在白天看到，因為牠們很小也不大移動。」葛羅表示：「唯一、或者最能夠看到牠們的方法是，你在夜間戴頭燈與火炬外出，因為這種變色龍會在黃昏時分爬上小株植物睡覺。」
葛羅說，他們的研究團隊是在一個石灰岩小島上發現這種變色龍，這也讓科學家認為小島上的物種為了適應受限的環境，體型隨著演化越來越小。
葛羅指出，迷你變色龍與馬達加斯加島上體型較小的侏儒變色龍也有所謂的「雙島效應」，馬達加斯加島上有自成一群的侏儒變色龍，而小島上則繁衍出體型更小的物種。
葛羅強調，這次研究團隊總共發現了迷你變色龍等4種新物種，不過由於這些物種的棲息範圍都很小，最小的只有1平方公里，因此對棲息地干擾更為敏感，所以科學家都擔心這些物種棲息地會受到外界干擾的威脅。
（圖片來源：達志影像/路透社）
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17028940
[h=1]Tiny lizards found in Madagascar[/h] By Ella Davies Reporter, BBC Nature
Miniature juveniles can stand on the head of a match
One of the world's tiniest lizards has been discovered by keen-eyed researchers in Madagascar.
The miniature chameleon, Brookesia micra, reaches a maximum length of just 29mm.
German scientists also found a further three new species in the north of the island.
The lizards were limited to very small ranges and scientists are concerned they could be at risk from habitat disturbance.
Continue reading the main story [h=2]Mini species[/h]
The discovery is reported in the journal PLoS ONE.
The research team, led by Dr Frank Glaw from the Zoologische Staatssammlung in Munich, have a specialist knowledge of Madagascar's dwarf chameleons having described other species in the past.
They conducted fieldwork at night during the wet season in order to find the easily overlooked animals.
"They mostly live in the leaf litter in the day... But at night they climb up and then you can spot them," said Dr Glaw, explaining that the animals moved up into branches to sleep.
The scientists carefully scanned the most likely habitats with torches and headlamps to find roosting sites.
They found the smallest species on a remote limestone islet and believe it may represent an extreme case of island dwarfism.
This phenomenon occurs when a species becomes smaller over evolutionary time in order to adapt to a restricted habitat such as an island.
According to Dr Glaw there could have been a "two-island effect" in the case of B. micra.
"It is possible that the big island of Madagascar has produced the general group of dwarf chameleons and the very small island has produced the tiny species," he told BBC Nature.
Varied but vulnerable Because the chameleons looked similar in appearance, researchers conducted a genetic analysis to confirm that they were indeed four distinct species.
The genetic differences between the species were described as "remarkable" by team member Miguel Vences from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.
"This indicates that they separated from each other millions of years ago - even earlier than many other chameleon species," he said.
Each of the new species was restricted to a very small territory, just a single square kilometre for the smallest.
Brookesia desperata: named for the "desperate" loss of habitat the species has suffered
"In Madagascar many species are restricted to small habitats and that makes it important to conserve them" said Dr Glaw.
Scientists believe the small ranges of the species make them especially sensitive to habitat disturbance.
B. tristis, named after the French word "triste" meaning sad, was found in an isolated patch of forest close to an expanding city.
The team chose thought-provoking names as an expression of their concern for the future of the island's micro-endemic species.
[h=2]More on This Story[/h] [h=3]Related Stories[/h]
[h=1]世界最小變色龍 僅成人指尖大[/h]
<cite class="byline vcard">作者： NewTalk 新頭殼 | 新頭殼 – <abbr title="2012-02-17T02:31:57Z">2012年2月17日 上午10:31</abbr></cite>[h=3]相關內容[/h]
放大照片生物學又有最新發現，科學家宣布，他們在東非馬達加斯加島上發現一種變色龍，全長僅2.9公分，是目前世界上最小的變色龍品種。
新頭殼newtalk 2012.02.17 楊宗興/綜合報導
生物學又有最新發現，科學家昨（16）日宣布，他們在東非馬達加斯加島上發現一種變色龍，全長僅2.9公分，是目前世界上最小的變色龍品種。
路透社報導指出，這項發現是德國和美國研究人員組成的研究團隊之成果，他們在在馬達加斯加北海岸外的諾西哈拉（Nosy Hara）島發現這種迷你變色龍，學名為「Brookesia micra」，「Brookesia」代表分布在馬達加斯加島上的一屬變色龍屬，「micra」則是希臘文「微小」之意。
德國慕尼黑邦立動物學蒐藏研究中心 （Zoological State Collection Munich）科學家葛羅（Frank Glaw）告訴路透社：「這種變色龍很難在白天看到，因為牠們很小也不大移動。」葛羅表示：「唯一、或者最能夠看到牠們的方法是，你在夜間戴頭燈與火炬外出，因為這種變色龍會在黃昏時分爬上小株植物睡覺。」
葛羅說，他們的研究團隊是在一個石灰岩小島上發現這種變色龍，這也讓科學家認為小島上的物種為了適應受限的環境，體型隨著演化越來越小。
葛羅指出，迷你變色龍與馬達加斯加島上體型較小的侏儒變色龍也有所謂的「雙島效應」，馬達加斯加島上有自成一群的侏儒變色龍，而小島上則繁衍出體型更小的物種。
葛羅強調，這次研究團隊總共發現了迷你變色龍等4種新物種，不過由於這些物種的棲息範圍都很小，最小的只有1平方公里，因此對棲息地干擾更為敏感，所以科學家都擔心這些物種棲息地會受到外界干擾的威脅。
（圖片來源：達志影像/路透社）
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17028940
[h=1]Tiny lizards found in Madagascar[/h] By Ella Davies Reporter, BBC Nature
One of the world's tiniest lizards has been discovered by keen-eyed researchers in Madagascar.
The miniature chameleon, Brookesia micra, reaches a maximum length of just 29mm.
German scientists also found a further three new species in the north of the island.
The lizards were limited to very small ranges and scientists are concerned they could be at risk from habitat disturbance.
Continue reading the main story [h=2]Mini species[/h]
- The geckos Sphaerodactylus ariasae and S. parthenopion are considered to be the smallest lizards in the world with adults just 18mm long
- Mouse lemurs are the planet's smallest primates
- The pygmy parrot is so small it fits in a human hand
- Not to be underestimated, the tiny dart frog is one of the planet's most poisonous animals
The discovery is reported in the journal PLoS ONE.
The research team, led by Dr Frank Glaw from the Zoologische Staatssammlung in Munich, have a specialist knowledge of Madagascar's dwarf chameleons having described other species in the past.
They conducted fieldwork at night during the wet season in order to find the easily overlooked animals.
"They mostly live in the leaf litter in the day... But at night they climb up and then you can spot them," said Dr Glaw, explaining that the animals moved up into branches to sleep.
The scientists carefully scanned the most likely habitats with torches and headlamps to find roosting sites.
They found the smallest species on a remote limestone islet and believe it may represent an extreme case of island dwarfism.
This phenomenon occurs when a species becomes smaller over evolutionary time in order to adapt to a restricted habitat such as an island.
According to Dr Glaw there could have been a "two-island effect" in the case of B. micra.
"It is possible that the big island of Madagascar has produced the general group of dwarf chameleons and the very small island has produced the tiny species," he told BBC Nature.
Varied but vulnerable Because the chameleons looked similar in appearance, researchers conducted a genetic analysis to confirm that they were indeed four distinct species.
The genetic differences between the species were described as "remarkable" by team member Miguel Vences from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany.
"This indicates that they separated from each other millions of years ago - even earlier than many other chameleon species," he said.
Each of the new species was restricted to a very small territory, just a single square kilometre for the smallest.
"In Madagascar many species are restricted to small habitats and that makes it important to conserve them" said Dr Glaw.
Scientists believe the small ranges of the species make them especially sensitive to habitat disturbance.
B. tristis, named after the French word "triste" meaning sad, was found in an isolated patch of forest close to an expanding city.
The team chose thought-provoking names as an expression of their concern for the future of the island's micro-endemic species.
[h=2]More on This Story[/h] [h=3]Related Stories[/h]
- Tiny but toothy mammal unearthed 02 NOVEMBER 2011, SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT
- Bug makes record noise with penis 30 JUNE 2011, NEWS
- Chameleons live fast, die young 21 FEBRUARY 2011, EARTH NEWS
- Striking salamander species found 08 JULY 2009, EARTH NEWS
- Tiny lizard falls like a feather 17 JULY 2009, EARTH NEWS
:p
