Cetartiodactyls discovered in the 2000s
Encyclopedia
This page is a list of species of the branch Cetartiodactyla
discovered in the 2000s. This branch contains animals classified under the orders Cetacea
and Artiodactyla. See also parent page Mammals discovered in the 2000s
.
(Hippotragus niger varani) was photographed in a camera trap in Angola
, after fears it had become extinct in the war-torn, Central African country. It was the first time the antelope had been recorded for 20 years.
, a new species of Chevrotain
, was named in 2005. The small deer can be found in the wet zones of Sri Lanka
.
(Orcaella heinsohni), is a species discovered distinct to the closely related Irrawaddy Dolphin
in 2005. It was the first dolphin
species to be named for at least 30 years.
, dubbed the Giant Forest Peccary
, was discovered in Brazil
in 2004. The peccary is said to be larger and behave differently to the three known species. The creature's discoverers claim to have first encountered the animal being killed and eaten by villagers.
whale
, named Omura's whale (Balaenoptera omurai), after extensive studies of Bryde's Whale
(B. brydei). The scientists also claimed their research settled a long-standing taxonomic argument, and Bryde's Whale and the Pygmy Bryde's Whale (B. edeni) are in fact two distinct species.
(Mesoplodon perrini) was named as a new species in 2002. It was originally found in 1975 off the coast of California
, but mis-identified as Hector's Beaked Whale
(Mesoplodon hectori). It is now thought to me more closely related to the Pygmy Beaked Whale
(Mesoplodon peruvianus), which was only itself described in 1991.
, as the North Pacific Right Whale
(Eubalaena japonica) is a distinct species from the North Atlantic Right Whale
(E.glacialis). Strictly speaking, this is not a newly discovered species, but simply an alternative taxonomic treatment, as japonica already was widely recognized, but "only" as a subspecies
.
found in a Laos
menagerie
in 1995. The unusual, black deer was discovered to be Roosevelt's Muntjac
(Muntiacus rooseveltorum), a species previously known to science only from a single individual, discovered in 1929..
Cetartiodactyla
Cetartiodactyla is the clade in which whales and even-toed ungulates have currently been placed. The term was coined by merging the name for the two orders, Cetacea and Artiodactyla, into a single word. The term Cetartiodactyla reflects the idea that whales evolved within the artiodactyls...
discovered in the 2000s. This branch contains animals classified under the orders Cetacea
Cetacea
The order Cetacea includes the marine mammals commonly known as whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Cetus is Latin and is used in biological names to mean "whale"; its original meaning, "large sea animal", was more general. It comes from Ancient Greek , meaning "whale" or "any huge fish or sea...
and Artiodactyla. See also parent page Mammals discovered in the 2000s
Mammals discovered in the 2000s
Although the mammals are well studied in comparison to other animal groups, a number of new species are still being discovered. This list includes extant mammal species discovered, formally named, or brought to public light in the year 2000 or later...
.
Giant Sable Antelope Hippotragus niger varani (2005)
In 2005, the Giant Sable AntelopeGiant Sable Antelope
The Giant Sable Antelope, Hippotragus niger variani, also known in Portuguese as the Palanca Negra Gigante, is a large, rare subspecies of Sable Antelope native and endemic to the region between Cuango and Luando Rivers in Angola....
(Hippotragus niger varani) was photographed in a camera trap in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
, after fears it had become extinct in the war-torn, Central African country. It was the first time the antelope had been recorded for 20 years.
Moschiola kathygre (2005)
Moschiola kathygreMoschiola kathygre
The Yellow-striped Chevrotain is a newly discovered species of chevrotain named in 2005. It is found in the wet zones of Sri Lanka. It was recognized as a species distinct from Moschiola meminna based on the phylogenetic species concept....
, a new species of Chevrotain
Chevrotain
Chevrotains, also known as mouse deer, are small ungulates that make up the family Tragulidae, the only members of the infraorder Tragulina. There are 10 living species in three genera, but there are also several species only known from fossils...
, was named in 2005. The small deer can be found in the wet zones of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Australian Snubfin Dolphin Orcaella heinsohni (2005)
The Australian Snubfin DolphinAustralian Snubfin Dolphin
The Australian snubfin dolphin is a dolphin found off the northern coasts of Australia. It closely resembles the Irrawaddy dolphin and was not described as a separate species until 2005. The Australian snubfin is tri-coloured, while the Irrawaddy dolphin only has two colours on its skin...
(Orcaella heinsohni), is a species discovered distinct to the closely related Irrawaddy Dolphin
Irrawaddy dolphin
The Irrawaddy dolphin is a euryhaline species of oceanic dolphin found in discontinuous subpopulations near sea coasts and in estuaries and rivers in parts of the Bay of Bengal and Southeast Asia.-Etymology and taxonomic history:...
in 2005. It was the first dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
species to be named for at least 30 years.
Giant Forest Peccary (2004)
A possible fourth species of peccaryPeccary
A peccary is a medium-sized mammal of the family Tayassuidae, or New World Pigs. Peccaries are members of the artiodactyl suborder Suina, as are the pig family and possibly the hippopotamus family...
, dubbed the Giant Forest Peccary
Giant Forest Peccary
The Giant Peccary is a possible fourth species of peccary, discovered in Brazil in 2000 by the Dutch naturalist Marc van Roosmalen. In 2003, he and German natural history filmmaker Lothar Frenz succeeded in filming a group and gathering material, which later would serve as the type...
, was discovered in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 2004. The peccary is said to be larger and behave differently to the three known species. The creature's discoverers claim to have first encountered the animal being killed and eaten by villagers.
Omura's whale Balaenoptera omurai (2003)
In 2003, Japanese scientists announced the discovery of a new species of rorqualRorqual
Rorquals are the largest group of baleen whales, with nine species in two genera. They include the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale, which can reach , and another that easily reaches ; even the smallest of the group, the Northern Minke Whale, reaches .-Characteristics:Rorquals...
whale
Whale
Whale is the common name for various marine mammals of the order Cetacea. The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises, which belong to suborder Odontoceti . This suborder also includes the sperm whale, killer whale, pilot whale, and beluga...
, named Omura's whale (Balaenoptera omurai), after extensive studies of Bryde's Whale
Bryde's Whale
Bryde's whales are baleen whales, one of the "great whales" or rorquals. They prefer tropical and temperate waters over the polar seas that other whales in their family frequent. They are largely coastal rather than pelagic. Bryde's whales are very similar in appearance to sei whales and almost as...
(B. brydei). The scientists also claimed their research settled a long-standing taxonomic argument, and Bryde's Whale and the Pygmy Bryde's Whale (B. edeni) are in fact two distinct species.
Perrin's Beaked Whale Mesoplodon perrini (2002)
Perrin's Beaked WhalePerrin's Beaked Whale
Perrin's beaked whale is the newest species of beaked whale to be described. The first two specimens were found in May 1975 stranded on the California coast, with two more specimens being found in 1978 and 1979, and the last in September 1997...
(Mesoplodon perrini) was named as a new species in 2002. It was originally found in 1975 off the coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but mis-identified as Hector's Beaked Whale
Hector's Beaked Whale
Hector's beaked whale , is a small mesoplodont living in the Southern Hemisphere. This whale is named after Sir James Hector, a founder of the colonial museum in Wellington, New Zealand...
(Mesoplodon hectori). It is now thought to me more closely related to the Pygmy Beaked Whale
Pygmy Beaked Whale
The pygmy beaked whale , also known as the bandolero beaked whale, Peruvian beaked whale and lesser beaked whale, is the smallest of the mesoplodonts and one of the newest discoveries. There were at least two dozen sightings of an unknown beaked whale named Mesoplodon sp...
(Mesoplodon peruvianus), which was only itself described in 1991.
North Pacific Right Whale Eubalaena japonica (2000)
In 2000, DNA testing confirmed the theory that there are three species of right whaleRight whale
Right whales are three species of large baleen whales consisting of two genera in the family Balaenidae of order Cetacea. Their bodies are very dark gray or black and rotund....
, as the North Pacific Right Whale
North Pacific Right Whale
The North Pacific right whale is a very large, robust baleen whale species that is now extremely rare and endangered. The Northeast Pacific subpopulation, that summers in the southeastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, may have no more than 50 animals...
(Eubalaena japonica) is a distinct species from the North Atlantic Right Whale
North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic right whale which means "good, or true, whale of the ice") is a baleen whale, one of three right whale species belonging to the genus Eubalaena, formerly classified as a single species. With only 400 in existence, North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered whales...
(E.glacialis). Strictly speaking, this is not a newly discovered species, but simply an alternative taxonomic treatment, as japonica already was widely recognized, but "only" as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
.
Roosevelt's Muntjac Muntiacus rooseveltorum (1999/2000)
In 1999, genetic research was conducted on a mysterious specimen of muntjacMuntjac
Muntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
found in a Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
menagerie
Menagerie
A menagerie is/was a form of keeping common and exotic animals in captivity that preceded the modern zoological garden. The term was first used in seventeenth century France in reference to the management of household or domestic stock. Later, it came to be used primarily in reference to...
in 1995. The unusual, black deer was discovered to be Roosevelt's Muntjac
Roosevelt's muntjac
A single specimen of the Roosevelt's Muntjac or Roosevelt's barking deer was presented to the Field Museum in 1929 following a hunting expedition led by Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt. The specimen is slightly smaller than the common muntjac and DNA testing has shown it to be distinct from...
(Muntiacus rooseveltorum), a species previously known to science only from a single individual, discovered in 1929..