Guangzhou, March 3 (Reporter Wang Jian) The reporter learned from the Danxia Mountain Management Committee of Shaoguan City on the 21st that according to statistics, as of March this year, 21 new species (including 3 plants, 39 animals and 21 fungi) have been discovered in Danxia Mountain, and the discovery of these new species not only enriches the species diversity of Danxia Mountain, but also reflects that Danxia Mountain such as Danxia Mountain has relatively unique habitats and ecological flora.
Shaoguan Danxia Mountain Management Committee introduced that recently, a new species of Danxia Mountain insect known as the "mysterious hermit" - Danxia true dragon lice was officially released. So far, 8 new insect species have been newly discovered and named in Danxia Mountain, among which Danxia true dragon lice, Mai Zuqi short-breasted dragon lice and short slender wild borer are all newly discovered by the scientific expedition team established by Sun Yat-sen University National Park.
It is understood that the three newly discovered species are Mai Zuqi short-breasted dragon lice, Danxia true dragon lice and short slender wild borer, which once again enriches the insect diversity of Danxia Mountain. The new species was discovered by professors Jia Fenglong and Jiang Zhuoyin of the School of Life Sciences of Sun Yat-sen University, and Zhang Dandan and Xiang Lanbin, associate professors of the School of Ecology.
Mai Zuqi short-breasted dragon lice Photo courtesy of Danxia Mountain Management Committee of Shaoguan City
Among them, Danxia true dragon lice is a large dragon lice, but its whereabouts are very secret, and the current type specimen of only one species was collected more than 80 years ago, and no specimen of the same species has been collected. The understanding of biological characteristics such as habitat, habits and life history of the Danxia dragon lice is still lacking, and further research will need to wait for the rediscovery of this species in the future.
The Mai Zuqi short-breasted dragon lice is a gorgeous striped underwater predator with a small body length of 6.3-6.5mm, which was discovered by Jia Fenglong in September 2021 when leading students to carry out a comprehensive field practice in Danxia Mountain, and determined to be a new species after dissecting male external genitalia and carefully observing and comparing morphological characteristics. The new species is named after the collector of holotypes, Master Mazouzzi, in appreciation of his important contribution to the discovery of the new species, and is currently known to be distributed only in Danxia Mountain.
It is reported that Sun Yat-sen University has carried out scientific research in Danxia Mountain for nearly 1941 years, and in <>, teachers and students from the School of Science went to Danxia Mountain for internship and practice, collected a large number of animal and plant specimens, accumulated fruitful results of Danxia Mountain animal and plant resources investigation, and played a major role in Danxia Mountain's declaration of global geopark and world natural heritage. (End)