greater mekong species report web ready version nov 14 2011-1-1

8/3/2019 Greater Mekong Species Report Web Ready Version Nov 14 2011-1-1

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GREATER

MEKONGREPORT

Wild MekongNew species in 2010 from the forests, wetlands and

waters of the Greater Mekong, Asias land of rivers


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Written by Christian Thompson (the green room)www.greenroomenvironmental.com, with contributions fromNick Co, Kyle Hemes, Stuart Chapman, Sarah Bladen (WWF).Designed by Torva Thompson (the green room)

Front cover photo: New monkey species,Rhinopithecus strykeriMartin Aveling/Fauna & Flora International.

Published in December 2011 by WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature(Formerly World Wildlife Fund). Any reproduction in full or in partmust mention the title and credit the above-mentioned publisher asthe copyright owner.

Tet 2011 WWFAll rights reserved

WWF is one of the worlds largest and most eperiencedindependent conservation organizations, with over5 million supporters and a global Network active inmore than 100 countries.

WWFs mission is to stop the degradation of the planetsnatural environment and to build a future in which humans live inharmony with nature, by: conserving the worlds biologicaldiversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources issustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and

wasteful consumption.


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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

A new monkey, a self-cloning skink, ve

carnivorous plants, and a unique leaf warblerare among the 208 species newly described byscience in the Greater Mekong region during2010. In total 145 plants, 28 reptiles, 25 sh, 7amphibians, 2 mammals and 1 bird have beendiscovered in the last year.

This rate of discovery marks Asias land of rivers as one of the last frontiers for newspecies discoveries on our planet.

The Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia through which the Mekong river owscomprises the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and China(including Yunnan province). The region is home to some of the planets mostendangered and charismatic wild species including tiger, Asian elephant, Mekongdolphin and Mekong giant catsh, in addition to hundreds of newly discovered species.Between 1997 and 2009 an incredible 1,376 species were discovered by science acrossthis region alone1,2,3.

However, while these discoveries highlight the unique biodiversity of the GreaterMekong they also reveal the fragility of this regions diverse species and habitats. Theplight of the wild tiger, whose numbers have dropped by a dramatic 70 percent in a littleover a decade, and the etinction of the Javan rhino in Vietnam during 2010 are urgentreminders that biodiversity is still being lost at an alarming rate from man-madepressures.

Rapid, unsustainable development and climate change impacts are profoundly affectingbiodiversity and ecosystem services and consequently the millions of people whodepend on them. The Greater Mekong region is warming and eperiencing moreetreme oods, droughts and storms as a result of shifting rainfall patterns. Thesechanges are eacerbating agricultural epansion and unsustainable infrastructurepressures on natural ecosystems and the services they provide.

Today the Greater Mekong region is an integral part of one of the top ve mostthreatened biodiversity hotspots in the world4.

The central importance of the regions shared natural resources cannot be overstated.The economic and social development of the Greater Mekong depends on the continuedproductivity of its inter-connected ecological systems. Only intact, healthy, and diversenatural ecosystems can provide the resilience to ensuing climate change while ensuring

continued access to water, energy, food, commodities, and livelihoods for over 300million people.

Sound regulatory frameworks implemented via harmonized policies across the GreaterMekong will help the regions countries adequately address comple, challenging,regional-scale issues like habitat loss and fragmentation, unsustainable natural resourceuse, and climate change. Addressing these challenges requires stronger regionalcollaboration at the broader, ecosystem scale; countries cannot effectively solve theseproblems thinking only within their own borders. Regional collaboration needs highlevels of political support. It also needs to be formalized through a regional agreementthat is supported by an effective institutional framework mechanism. Only this canensure future security for the millions of people that rely upon the Greater Mekongsystem.

208 SPECIESDISCOVERED IN 2010

IN THE GREATERMEKONG

MartinAve

ling/Fauna&FloraInternation

al

Wild Mekong: New species in 2010 from the forests, wetlands and waters of the Greater Mekong, Asias land of rivers 1


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WWF-Cambodia

Spectacular Khone Falls, Laos, in the Mekong river ecoregion. Throughout its journey, from theHimalayas to the Delta, the Mekong river takes on many forms: active, etreme and truly epic.


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NEWEXTRAORDINARY

SPECIES OF THE

MEKONG REGIONELVIS

MONKEYWITH

NO NOSE(Rhinopithecus strykeri)

The King is alive it seems. While this species, sporting anElvis-like hairstyle, is new to science5, the local people ofMyanmar know it well. Scientists rst learned ofSnubby - as they nicknamed the species - from huntersin Myanmars forested, remote, and mountainous(Himalayan) Kachin state in early 2010.

Locals claim that the black and white monkey is very easyto nd when it is raining because the monkeys often getrainwater in their upturned noses causing them to sneeze.To avoid this evolutionary inconvenience, snub-nosedmonkeys spend rainy days sitting with their heads tucked

between their knees.

The Greater Mekong region has yielded 145

plants, 28 reptiles, 25 sh, 7 amphibians, 2mammals and 1 bird in just the last year. Acloser look at the new discoveries reveal...

Only recently encountered by a team of conservationistsI, little is known about themonkeys behaviour in the wild, its distribution range, or its value to local communities.Not surprisingly, this species is likely to be classied as critically endangered due to itsrestricted range and signicant hunting pressures. The illustration below is the onlyrepresentation of a scientically observed specimen to this date.

The species is one of two mammals discovered in the region in the past year.

+ 2 in 2010TWO NEW MAMMAL

SPECIES WERE DISCOVEREDIN THE GREATER MEKONG

IN 2010

MartinAve

ling/Fauna&FloraInternational

I Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF)

4 Wild Mekong: New species in 2010 from the forests, wetlands and waters of the Greater Mekong, Asias land of rivers


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GHERKINFISH

A loach that looks like agherkin was ofciallydescribed in SouthernThailand6. This particularnew species, one of 25 newsh discoveries in 2010,is only known to be foundin two clear gravel-bedstreams owing into the

Andaman Sea betweenTakua Pa and Ranong.Discovered and described

by loach eperts JrgBohlen and Vendulalechtov, the new species

was named after Thaiaquarist and sh eporterKamphol Udomritthiruj.Based on the best available

data, eperts estimate thatthe Greater Mekong regionis a permanent home toabout 850 freshwatershII, with an approimatetotal of 1,100 includingthe coastal and marinevisitors (from the SouthChina Sea that seasonallyfrequent the Mekong riverand its tributaries)7. Thisgure includes some of themost amazing freshwatersh species foundanywhere in the world

today, such as the Mekonggiant catsh (that canreach up to 350kg, 3m inlength) and Giant

freshwater stingray (upto 600kg, 5m in length,

with a 2.4m disc width).Over 300 new sh specieshave been discovered inthe region since 1997 - itis truly Asias land ofrivers.

+ 25 in 2010TWENTY-FIVE NEW FISH SPECIES

WERE DISCOVERED IN THEGREATER MEKONG IN 2010

JrgBohlen

(Schistura udomritthiruji)

The Greater Mekong region is a permanenthome to about 850 freshwater sh, with an

approimate total of 1,100 including thecoastal and marine visitors7.

II A total that includes some species that have yet to be ofcially described by scientists.



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A staggering array of reptilediversity was also newlydiscovered in 2010 - 28reptiles in total includingthe newfoundLeiolepisngovantrii8 - an all-femalespecies that reproduces viacloning, without the needfor male lizards. Dr. LeeGrismers Vietnamesecolleague Ngo Van Tri ofthe Vietnam Academy ofScience and Technologyfound live lizards for sale ina restaurant in Ba

Ria-Vung Tau Province.Noting that the reptiles alllooked strangely similar,Ngo sent pictures toGrismer and his son JesseGrismer, a herpetologydoctoral student at theUniversity of Kansas.In this part of southern

Vietnam, restaurants havebeen serving thisundescribed species, and

we just stumbled across it,said Dr. Lee Grismer.The team of epertssuspected that they may

be looking at an all-femalespecies. Knowing that thelizard likely belonged to the

Leiolepis genus, in whichmale and female lizardshave distinct colourdifferences - no males could

be identied. Scientists

eamined almost 70 of thelizards - and all turned outto be females.

The new-found reptile alsohad rows of enlarged scaleson its arms as well aslamellae (bone layers)under its toes that set it

apart from other species.The lizards home, the BinhChau-Phuoc Buu NatureReserve, sits between scrub

woodland and coastal sanddunes.

Being all female, the newlydiscovered species mayalready be at adisadvantage because ofits lack of genetic diversity.Even though it doesntseem to be rare in the wild,low levels of genetic

diversity could compromisethe robustness of thespecies, making it lessresilient to changes in theclimate and habitat overtime.

+ 28 in 2010TWENTY-EIGHT NEW REPTILES

WERE DISCOVERED IN THEGREATER MEKONG IN 2010

L.

LeeGrismer

SELF-CLONINGLIZARD:NEW BUT NOT

UNKNOWN(Leiolepis ngovantrii)



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A WOLFSNAKE(Lycodon synaptor)

Among the new reptilediscoveries is the wolfsnake,Lycodon synaptor9or Boehmes wolf snake,from Dongchuan, amountainous region of

Yunnan Province, China.The black snake with white

bands is a member of theColubridae family, the

largest family of snakesclassied by science. Thereare more than 40 speciesof Asian wolf Snakes inthe genusLycodon. Wolfsnakes are so-called

because of their large fangsin both jaws.

Wolf snakes are oftennocturnal10, can grow tolengths of about 50 cm (20inches), and prey chieyon frogs, geckos, and otherlizards.

Vampire



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SPECTACULARORCHID FIND(Dendrobium daklakense)

145 plants were discoveredin the Greater Mekong in2010. A beautiful orchid,

with thick glossy whiteand orange owers, wasnewly identied after beingcollected by a local planthunter and handed toorchid eperts at KewBotanical Gardens inLondon, England11. Knownto locals as one of the moststriking species, this orchid

was rst discovered in aremote area in the Dak Lak

province of Vietnam.Scientists are workingtoward tracking the actualorigin of this elegantspecies and its currentconservation status.

The forests of the GreaterMekong harbour a rich

variety of owering plants.Orchids are the primeeample of this plantdiversity: 16 new orchidspecies from the GreaterMekong were ofcially

described in 2010. TheseendemicIII plants all havelimited distributions,highlighting their

vulnerability to forest lossand habitat change.Scientists estimate thataround 70 species of orchidthat once eisted in theforests of nearbyIndonesia have becomeetinct because of illegallogging activity12.

+ 145 in 2010ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE

NEW PLANTS WERE

DISCOVERED IN THEGREATER MEKONG IN 2010

It is remarkable that such a distinct andshowy species could have escaped detection

until recently.

Dr Andre Schuiteman,orchid expert at Kew Gardens, London,

England.

DuongToan

III Endemic refers to a species that is eclusively native to a specic place and found nowhere else. Foreample, the kiwi is a bird endemic to New Zealand.



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LIMESTONELEAF-WARBLER

DISCOVEREDIN LAOS

(Phylloscopus calciatilis)

In January 2010, a small,distinctive bird living inthe rocky forests of the

Annamite mountain rangein Laos and Vietnam wasdescribed for the rst time.Named the limestone leaf

warbler because it breedsin Laos limestone karstenvironments - a regionknown for unusual

wildlife13 - it is similar toother warblers in this area

of Southeast Asia, eceptfor its distinct

vocalizations and slightmorphological differences.The tiny bird is greenish-olive with a yellow breastand striped crown. It hasa loud and unique call,

which is what rst alertedthe researchers that the

bird may be new toscience.

Scientists presume thereare many limestone leaf

warblers in this region, butits habitat isnt withoutthreats. Many parts of thespecies native forests have

been cleared as a result ofwood collection. NGOs arecontinuing to work withthe Lao Government in aneffort to reduce the threatsto wildlife in this region.

+ 1 in 2010ONE NEW BIRD SPECIESWAS DISCOVERED IN THE

GREATER MEKONG IN 2010

UlfJohansson/SwedishMuseumofNaturalH

istory



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PSYCHEDELICGECKO(Cnemaspis psychedelica)

A new psychedelic geckospecies was discovered thispast year on Hon KhoaiIsland, Ca Mau Province,Ngoc Hien District, 18 kmoff the southern tip of theCa Mu Peninsula insouthern Vietnam14.

The new species is uniquein that it displays aremarkable psychedelicpattern of bright orangeappendages; a dense,

yellow neck overlying thick,

black, lines; and a blue-graybody bearing yellow bars onits bright-orange sides. Italso differs from all otherspecies ofCnemaspis insize.

Cnemaspis psychedelica isthe third endemic species ofCnemaspis from Vietnamand brings the total numberof species in Vietnam to si.Its occurrence on one of92 islands in Rach Gia Bayhighlights the necessity forfurther surveys of theselittle known islandsaccording to scientists, whoare just beginning to revealthe surprising degree ofendemism and diversity inthe area. This further

emphasises that the fulletent of the GreaterMekongs biologicaldiversity remains unknownto science.

Cnemaspis psychedelica isknown only from the tiny(roughly 8 km2) Hon KhoaiIsland. The island reachesapproimately 320m at itshighest point, with thickforest cover sloping gentlydown to a mangrove-linedcoast. Scattered across thelowlands of the island aresmall to massive bouldersthat provide the habitat forCnemaspis psychedelica.

Some 75 species from the

Cnemaspis are now foundacross Asia.

L.

LeeGrismerWWF treats

priority species as

ecologically, economically and

culturally important

species. We are

working to ensure such speciescan live and thrive in their natural

habitats.



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FIVE SPECIESOFCARNIVOROUS

PITCHERPLANT

The new plant discoveriesin the region cover aneclectic mi of species,including 16 orchids, 9palms, 8 species of ginger,7 species from the rosefamily, 4 members of thecoffee family, 4 nettles,2 species from the beechfamily, 1 fern andnumerous other oweringplants.

Perhaps the mostinteresting are the ve

species of pitcher plantsdiscovered. Four are fromThailand and one wasfound in Cambodia.

As carnivorous plants,pitchers eat pretty muchanything they can

entice into theircavernous bellies. Somespecies ofNepenthes cangrow to a maimum heightof 100 cm with vineseceeding 25 cm high.Botanical eperts say thatthey can actually lure inand consume small rats,mice, lizards and even

birds.

Nepenthes andamana isfrom Phang Nga Province,Thailand15, where it grows

at sea level in coastalsavannah and grasslandhabitats.Nepenthes changis from the BanthadMountains of centralThailand16, where it growsat elevations of 300600mabove sea level.

Nepenthes holdenii isknown to eist on twopeaks in the CardamomMountains of westernCambodia17, where itgrows at elevations of600800 m above sealevel.Nepenthes kerriiwasfound in Tarutao NationalMarine Park in southernThailand18, at elevationsof 400500 m above sealevel.Nepenthes suratensis

was discovered in SuratThani Province, Thailand19,

where it grows at sea levelin coastal savannah andgrassland habitats. Allare endemic with limiteddistributions.

FranoisMey

Nepenthes andamana

MarcelloCatalano

Nepenthes holdenii



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VIBRANTLY-SPOTTEDNEWT

SPECIES(Tylototriton notialis)

BryanStuart

A new species of newtwas discovered in Laos in201021. The new species isparticularly signicant as itrepresents the rst recordof a species from the genusTylototriton from Laos,and is the southernmostknown member of theTylototritonasperrimusgroup in the world. TheLatin name for the species,notialis meaningsouthern, refers to this.

The genus also occurs inadjacent parts of Thailand,China, and Vietnam.

The new species wasdiscovered in KhammouanProvince, Laos, Nakai-NamTheun National Protected

Area, Nam On rivercatchment.

Distinct rib nodules andunique vibrant orangedots distinguish Laospopulation of the newlydiscovered species fromother members of the T.asperrimus group. Thespecies is known only fromthe location at which it wasdiscovered.

Scientists fear that over-harvesting for traditionalmedicine and theinternational pet trade may

put the species atheightened risk22. Theformal description of other

Asian salamandrids in thepast (Laotrian laoensis;Stuart and Papenfuss2002) has inadvertentlyled to eploitation for theinternational pet trade23.

Hopefully the TheunNational Protected Area,one of Laos largest and

best-funded nationalprotected areas24, willafford this endemic speciessome protection.


AdamCathro


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GREATER MEKONG,GREAT FUTURE?

A REGION HANGING

IN THE BALANCE

The Mekong is at a crossroads. Governments

can decide whether to follow the current pathtowards a brown economy or take an alternativepath towards greener, more sustainableeconomic development.

The central importance of the regions shared naturalresources cannot be overstated. The economic and socialdevelopment of the Greater Mekong region depends on thecontinued productivity of its inter-connected ecologicalsystems. Only intact, healthy, and diverse naturalecosystems can provide resilience to ensuing climate

change while ensuring continued access to water, energy,food, commodities and livelihoods for over 300 millionpeople.

One important step the governments of the region can take is to transition into a greeneconomy. The concept of a green economy is a fundamentally new model for sustainabledevelopment that takes into account the global economic benets of biodiversity morethan ever before. It represents a major economic transformation25 and a paradigm shift inhow we think about sustainable economic development.

It is already happening in the Greater Mekong region, but not fast enough. Governmentsmust step up their investments into green sectors, create the necessary national regulatoryframeworks, and implement these via policies across the Greater Mekong. Only this canallow the regions countries to address comple, regional-scale issues like habitat loss and

fragmentation, unsustainable natural resource use, and climate change.

Addressing these challenges requires stronger regional collaboration at the broader,ecosystem scale; countries cannot effectively solve these problems thinking only withintheir own borders. Regional collaboration needs high levels of political support. It alsoneeds to be formalized through a regional agreement that is supported by integrated,effective policy. Such an agreement should seek to bring countries closer together arounda common vision for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and naturalresources. It should seek to achieve a balance between conserving what is unquestionablysome of the worlds most important biodiversity and ensuring that natural resources areused sustainably to support economic development.

WWF is actively involved in helping the countries of the Greater Mekong region progresstowards a green economy, one that values ecosystems and the services they provide to themillions of people in the region. Through approaches such as sustainable hydropower,landscape and species conservation, climate change adaptation, and sustainable nancingmechanisms, WWF will continue to develop and support programmes in the region thathelp secure a brighter future for the regions biodiversity, including its rich array ofspecies those that we already know, and those still waiting to be discovered.



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WWF

Vietnam


Cleared forest in aKrng district, Quang Tri province, Vietnam.Habitat destruction and fragmentation is a key threat

to the remaining species in the Greater Mekong.


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The mighty Mekong river owing through ooded forest in Cambodia.

GordonCongdon


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APPENDIXPLANTS

Species Scientist(s) Location

Acer pseudowilsonii Chen Thailand Aconitum jin-muratae Kadota & Nob.Tanaka Myanmar Adiantum membranifolium Linds. & Suksathan Thailand Alocasia jiewhoei V.D.Nguyen Cambodia Anoectochilus malipoensis Chen & Shui Yunnan Areca songthanhensis Hend., Ban & Thanh Vietnam Argostemma victorianum Nob.Tanaka Myanmar Arisaema brucei Li, Li & Murata Yunnan Arisaema linearifol ium Gusman & Yin Yunnan Arisaema quinquelobatum Li & Murata Yunnan Arisaema rubrirhizomatum Li & Murata Yunnan Arundinella kokutensis Teerawat. & Sungkaew Thailand Begonia kachinensis Nob.Tanaka Myanmar Begonia pteridiformis Phutthai Thailand Begonia vietnamensis Nguyen & Peng Vietnam Boehmeria leptostachya Friis & Wilmot-Dear Thailand/Yunnan Boehmeria listeri Friis & Wilmot-Dear Myanmar Brachycorythis neglecta Pedersen Thailand Breynia carnosa Welzen & Pruesapan Thailand Breynia lithophila Welzen & Pruesapan Thailand Breynia repens Welzen & Pruesapan ThailandCalamus parvulus Hend. & Dung VietnamCalamus seriatus Hend. & Dung VietnamCalamus yentuensis Hend. & Dung VietnamCamellia luteocerata Orel Vietnam

Camellia maiana Orel VietnamCanscora bidoupensis Hul VietnamCastanopsis jinpingensis Li & Chen YunnanCaulokaempferia chayaniana Tiyaw. ThailandCeratopteris oblongiloba Masuyama & Watano Thailand/CambodiaChimonocalamus peregrinus Yi & Ma VietnamChirita auriculata Li & Zhu YunnanChroniochilus sinicus Chen & Liu YunnanClematis pseudopterantha Kadota & Nob.Tanaka MyanmarCoelogyne alboaurantia Elis.George & George ThailandCremanthodium latilobum Chen YunnanCroton uviatilis Esser ThailandCryptocoryne loeiensis Bastm., Idei & Jacobsen ThailandCryptocoryne mekongensis Idei, Bastm. & Jacobsen LaosCurcuma pambrosima kornik. & L VietnamCurcuma vitellina kornik. & Tran Vietnam Daemonorops brevicaulis Hend. & Dung Vietnam Daemonorops ocreata Hend. & Dung Vietnam

Damrongia cyanantha Triboun Thailand Dendrobium daklakense Tich, Schuit. & Verm. Vietnam Dendrobium koyamae Nob.Tanaka, Yukawa & Murata Myanmar Dendrobium roseiodorum Sathap., Yukawa & Seelanan Vietnam Doritis natmataungensis Yukawa, Nob.Tanaka & Murata Myanmar Elatostema funingense Wang Yunnan Epirixanthes compressa Pendry Thailand Exacum darae Hul Thailand/CambodiaGalium kunmingense Ehrend. YunnanGalium rupifragum Ehrend. YunnanGentiana spathulisepala Ho & Liu YunnanGlobba ranongensis Picheans. & Tiyaw. Thailand Habenaria calcicola Aver. Vietnam Hedychium longipetalum Hu & Liu Yunnan Hedychium menghaiense Hu & Liu Yunnan Heterostemma xuansonense Tran & Kim Vietnam Hoya rotundiora Rodda & Simonsson Myanmar Impatiens oblongipetala Liu & Cong Yunnan Kaempferia lopburiensis Picheans. Thailand Larsenianthus wardianus Kress, Thet Htun & Bordelon Myanmar

Greater Mekong

new species 2010

At a glance, by country...

Cambodia 7China 53(Yunnan)Laos 13

Myanmar 29Thailand 61 Vietnam 59

Note: The sum of the above guresdoes not equal the total number ofnew species discovered, as somespecies have a distributionspanning more than one country.



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Licuala dakrongensis Hend., Ban & Thanh Vietnam Ligularia qiaojiaensis Chen & Dong Yunnan Liparis guangxiensis Feng & Jin Yunnan Litostigma crystallinum Shui & Chen YunnanManglietia sapaensis Xia & Vu VietnamMelocalamus blaoensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMelocalamus cucphuongensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMelocalamus kbangensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMelocalamus pacoensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMelocalamus truongsonensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMelocalamus yenbaiensis Nguyen & Tran VietnamMicrotropis daweishanensis Lin & Zhang YunnanMicrotropis longicarpa Lin & Zhang YunnanMiscanthus villosus Liu & Peng YunnanMnesithea thailandica Traiperm & Boonkerd ThailandMucuna hirtipetala Wilmot-Dear & Sha YunnanMucuna incurvata Wilmot-Dear & Sha YunnanMuhlenbergia fasciculata Phan Myanmar

Mycetia basiora Puff Thailand Nepenthes andamana Catal. Thailand Nepenthes chang Catal. Thailand Nepenthes holdenii Mey Cambodia Nepenthes kerrii Catal. & Kruetr. Thailand Nepenthes suratensis Catal. Thailand Nervilia gracilis Aver. VietnamOrchidantha stercorea Tran & kornik VietnamOstryopsis intermedia Tian & Liu Yunnan Paphiopedilum canhii Aver. & Gruss Vietnam Pedicularis obliquigaleata Yu & Wang Yunnan Peristylus phuwuanensis Kurzweil Thailand Peristylus rigidus Kurzweil Thailand Petrocosmea bicolor Middleton & Triboun Thailand Petrocosmea pubescens Middleton & Triboun Thailand Petrocosmea shilinensis Shui & Zhao Yunnan Phaius hekouensis Tsukaya, Nakaj. & Wu Yunnan Phyllagathis nanakorniana Wangwasit, Norsaengsri Thailand

& Cellin. Pinalia shiuyingiana Ormerod & Wood Myanmar Pinanga nuichuensis Hend., Ban & Thanh Vietnam Pinus anemophila Businsk Laos Platostoma tridechii Suddee Thailand Plectocomiopsis songthanhensis Hend. & Dung Vietnam Primula nghialoensis Rankin Vietnam Pseuduvaria fragrans Su, Chaowasku Thailand

& Saunders Pseuduvaria gardneri Su, Chaowasku Thailand

& Saunders Thailand Raphiocarpus maguanensis Shui & Chen Yunnan Rhododendron trancongii Argent & Rushforth Vietnam Rubia pseudogalium Ehrend. YunnanSchefera poomae Esser & Jebb ThailandSchizostachyum ninhthuanense Xia, Tran & Nguyen VietnamSchizostachyum yalyense Xia, Tran & Nguyen Vietnam

Siliquamomum oreodoxa L & kornik. VietnamSorbus burtonsmithiorum Rushforth Myanmar/YunnanSorbus guanii Rushforth YunnanSorbus hudsonii Rushforth YunnanSorbus spongbergii Rushforth YunnanSorbus yondeensis Rushforth YunnanStemona involuta Inthachub ThailandStemona rupestris Inthachub ThailandStrobilanthes atroviridis Deng & Wood YunnanStrobilanthes fengiana Deng & Wood YunnanStrobilanthes ovata Deng & Wood YunnanStrobilanthes rostrata Deng & Wood YunnanStrobilanthes spiciformis Deng & Wood YunnanStrobilanthes taoana Deng & Wood Yunnan


Strobilanthes wangiana Deng & Wood YunnanSwertia lihengiana Ho & Liu YunnanThalictrum tamurae Kadota & Nob.Tanaka MyanmarTrigonostemon tuberculatus Du & He YunnanTupistra kressii Tanaka ThailandTupistra laotica Tanaka LaosTupistra malaiana Tanaka ThailandTupistra urceolata Tanaka & Kress ThailandTyphonium neogracile Murata MyanmarTyphonium praecox Murata MyanmarTyphonium vermiforme Nguyen & Croat VietnamUtricularia inthanonensis Suksathan & Parn. ThailandUtricularia phusoidaoensis Suksathan & Parn. ThailandUtricularia spinomarginata Suksathan & Parn. ThailandVitis yunnanensis Li YunnanWrightia karaketii Middleton ThailandWrightia poomae Middleton ThailandWrightia tokiae Middleton Thailand

Subtotal:145

FISH


Chaudhuria ritvae Britz MyanmarGarra bisangularis Chen, Wu and Xiao YunnanGlyptothorax obliquimaculatus Jiang, Chen and Yang YunnanGrammonus minutus Nielsen and Prokoev VietnamGymnothorax emmae Prokoev Vietnam Lepidocephalichthys alkaia Havird and Page Laos, Myanmar, Thailand

and Vietnam Lepidocephalichthys kranos Havird and Page Thailand, Laos, Vietnam

and MyanmarMacrognathus aureus Britz MyanmarMacrognathus dorsiocellatus Britz MyanmarMacrognathus lineatomaculatus Britz MyanmarMacrognathus obscurus Britz MyanmarMacrognathus pavo Britz MyanmarOryzias songkhramensis Magtoon Laos/Thailand Pangio longimanus Britz and Kottelat, Laos Paracobitis nanpanjiangensis Min, Chen and Yang Yunnan Parapercis bicoloripes Prokoev Vietnam Psilorhynchus brachyrhynchus Conway and Britz Myanmar Psilorhynchus gokkyi Conway and Britz Myanmar Psilorhynchus melissa Conway and Kottelat Myanmar Psilorhynchus pavimentatus Conway and Kottelat Myanmar Psilorhynchus piperatus Conway and Britz MyanmarSchistura udomritthiruji Bohlen and Slechtov ThailandSinogastromyzon lixianjiangensis Liu, Chen and Yang YunnanSinogastromyzon macrostoma Liu, Chen and Yang YunnanTriplophysa jianchuanensis Zheng, Du, Chen & Yang Yunnan

Subtotal:25

AMPHIBIANS


Amolops akhaorum Stuart, Bain, Phimmachak, Laos& Spence

Leptolalax aereus Rowley, Stuart, Richards, LaosPhimmachak & Sivongxay

Leptolalax croceus Rowley, Huy , Duong , Vinh Vietnam& Trung



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AMPHIBIANS


Limnonectes jarujini Matsui, Panha, Khonsue Thailand& Kuraishi

Rhacophorus vampyrus Rowley, Duong, Tran, Dao, Stuart Vietnam& Huy

Tylototriton notialis Stuart, Phimmachak, Sivongxay Laos& Robichaud

Vietnamaptera bogiessa Zhang, Bai, Heiss & Cai Vietnam

Subtotal:7

REPTILES


Acanthosaura cardamomensis Wood, Grismer, Grismer, Neang, Cambodia/Thailand

Chav & HoldenCalamaria concolor Orlov, Truong, Tao, Ananjeva Vietnam

& CucCnemaspis chanardi Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCnemaspis huaseesom Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCnemaspis kamolnorranathi Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCnemaspis laoensis Grismer LaosCnemaspis narathiwatensis Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCnemaspis neangthyi Grismer, Grismer & Chav Cambodia

Cnemaspis niyomwanae Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Cambodia/ThailandWood, Pauwels & Kunya

Cnemaspis psychedelica Grismer, Ngo & Grismer VietnamCnemaspis punctatonuchalis Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCnemaspis vandeventeri Grismer, Sumontha, Cota, Grismer, Thailand

Wood, Pauwels & KunyaCyrtodactylus auribalteatus Sumontha, Panitvong & Deein ThailandCyrtodactylus bichnganae Tri & Grismer VietnamCyrtodactylus dumnuii Bauer, Kunya, Sumontha, Niyomwan, Thailand

Pauwels, Chanhome & KunyaCyrtodactylus phuquocensis Tri, Grismer & Grismer VietnamCyrtodactylus roesleri Ziegler, Nazarov, Orlov, Nguyen, Vu, Vietnam

Dang, Dinh & SchmitzCyrtodactylus wayakonei Nguyen, Kingsada, Rsler, Auer Laos

& ZieglerCyrtodactylus yangbayensis Tri & Onn Vietnam

Gekko canhi Rsler, Nguyen, Van Doan, Ho, VietnamNguyen & ZieglerGekko lauhachindai Panitvong, Sumontha, Konlek Thailand

& KunyaGekko takouensis Ngo & Gamble VietnamGekko vietnamensis Sang Vietnam Leiolepis ngovantrii Grismer & Grismer Vietnam Lycodon synaptor Vogel & David Yunnan Pseudocalotes ziegleri Hallermann, Truong, Orlov Vietnam

& AnanjevaScincella apraefrontalis Nguyen, Nguyen, Bhme & Ziegler VietnamTropidophorus boehmei Nguyen, Nguyen, Schmitz, Orlov Vietnam

& Ziegler

Subtotal:28

BIRDS


Phylloscopus calciatilis Alstrm, Davidson, Duckworth, Laos/ Eames, Le, Nguyen, Olsson, VietnamRobson, Timmins

Subtotal:1

MAMMALS


Crocidura phanluongi Jenkins, Abramov, Rozhnov Vietnam& Olsson

Rhinopithecus strykeri Geissmann, Lwin, Aung, Aung, Myanmar

Aung, Hla, Grindley, Momberg

Subtotal:2

GRANDTOTAL:208



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2 WWF. 2009. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS: GREATER MEKONG NEW SPECIES DISCOVERIES. WWF GREATER MEKONG PROGRAMME, LAO PDR.

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REFERENCES



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850freshwater sh specieslive in the Mekong andits tributaries

208new species discovered in2010, adding to the 1,345

newly identied since 1997

Today the Greater Mekongregion is an integral part of oneof the top ve most threatenedbiodiversity hotspots in theworld

100%RECYCLED

1986 Panda symbol WWF World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) WWF is a WWF Registered Trademark.WWF Greater Mekong D13 Thang Long International Village Cau Giay District PO Bo 151 Hanoi Vietnam

Why we are here

www.panda.org/greatermekong

To stop the degradation of the planets natural environment and

to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

300 millionpeople depend on healthynatural systems such asrivers, forests and

wetlands for their foodsecurity, livelihoods andcustoms

Greater Mekong in numbers

greater mekong species report web ready version nov 14 2011-1-1

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