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Nature & Environment

New species of lizard discovered in Australia

By T.K. Randall
October 30, 2012 · Comment icon 8 comments

Image Credit: CC 3.0 Christian Hauzar
A completely new lizard species has been found just outside of Perth in Western Australia.
The coastal plains skink is around two inches in length and survives in the sand dunes just outside of one of Australia's busiest cities. It was identified during research in to biological diversity in the area. "To find something as yet undetected, so close to one of the country's largest cities, demonstrates how much we've still got to discover," said ecologist Geoffrey Kay.

News of the find however it bittersweet as the new species is already at risk of being wiped out by encroaching urban sprawl. "Only a few of these lizards have ever been found in the wild, so while we know numbers are low, we are not sure of the exact size of the remaining population," said Kay.
Southwestern Australia is recognised as one of the top 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world, alongside places such as Madagascar, the tropical jungles of West Africa, and Brazil's Cerrado.


Source: Telegraph | Comments (8)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by Mnemonix 12 years ago
It's pretty, but unfortunate that it could go extinct soon I'm sad that the Tasmanian Tiger went extinct as well, I never had the chance to see one.
Comment icon #2 Posted by Hilander 12 years ago
There are so many things on the verge of extinction. I don't know how we will save most since the big problem is too many people. Unless we have some sort of plague or natural disaster I don't see the human population going down.
Comment icon #3 Posted by Mnemonix 12 years ago
There are so many things on the verge of extinction. I don't know how we will save most since the big problem is too many people. Unless we have some sort of plague or natural disaster I don't see the human population going down. I know it's not going to help, but I'm not having any offspring
Comment icon #4 Posted by pallidin 12 years ago
So many amazing things newly and undiscovered in Nature. I just hope we don't destroy Nature.
Comment icon #5 Posted by Lava_Lady 12 years ago
I always love these articles about new species found. They make me feel hopeful... Until they end with, urban. Scrawl may render them extinct. sigh....
Comment icon #6 Posted by DKO 12 years ago
Must be hard to tell if it's a new species or not, it looks like any other skink around here. It's funny that they can find a new lizard species that is just 6cm long but Bigfoot hunters can't find any evidence close to a bigfoot.
Comment icon #7 Posted by nohands 12 years ago
wow... but what help does it give having a new species found? the looks maybe new but i thinks a skill are more needed to be new...like having a tounge long enough to kill a camel in the desert..
Comment icon #8 Posted by Hasina 12 years ago
I know it's not going to help, but I'm not having any offspring I tried to be more proactive about population control, the judge just called it 'murder'. -ba-dum-tsh-


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