The dark side of new species discovery

[Peter]

The dark side of new species discovery
By Laurel Neme, special to mongabay.com
December 21, 2011

(12/21/2011) Scientists and the public usually rejoice when a new species is discovered. But biologist Bryan Stuart has learned the hard way that the discovery of new species, especially when that species is commercially valuable, has a dark side-one that could potentially wipe out the new species before protections can be put in place. Stuart has discovered 27 species unknown previously to scientists - so far. That includes 22 species of frogs, three types of snakes, and two salamanders. His experience with one of these, a warty salamander from Laos with striking markings (Paramesotriton laoensis), opened his eyes to a dark side of scientific discovery: commercial overexploitation before protections are in place. Shortly after Stuart described the previously unknown species Paramesotriton laoensis in a scientific paper published in 2002, commercial dealers began collecting this Lao newt for sale into the pet trade. In essence, the dealers used Stuart's geographic description in the paper as a “roadmap” to find the rare newt.

Read more: news.mongabay.com/2011/1221-neme_stuart_herp_trade.html

[Melanie]

There is a similar experience with Chelodina timorensis (formerly a subspecies of Chelodina mccordi) which was recognized in 2007 and is extremely rare due to overexploitation.

[Sebbe]

Illegal collecting and overexploitation is a serious threat only to a small fraction of all new species described each year, and while I agree that it is very, very important that these issues are being brought into the spotlight I cant help but to feel that this articles is a bit one-sided.

It is mainly colorful reptiles, amphibians and fishes which are being targeted by illegal collecting, and whilst illegal collecting is likely to increase if the people trading in these species gets a "roadmap" exactly where to find them I think it is up local authorities and governments to crack down harder on this trade. As it is now illegal trade in rare animals and plants in many areas of high biodiversity is either ignored and the people supposed to protect them is actually involved in the trade themselves. Also, in many cases these "new" species are being traded illegally before the official description is even printed.

In the future it may be a good idea (as in the case with the snake in Tanzania) if the people describing these species disclosed the type locality, especially when dealing with colorful and attractive species which are likely command high prices in the black market.