‘Fire-bellied’ creature found in waterhole on mountain in China. It’s a new species
Near the base of a mountain in eastern China, a “fire-bellied” creature swam through a small waterhole. Something about the “slender” animal caught the attention of passing scientists — and for good reason.
It turned out to be a new species.
Researchers ventured into the Huanggangshan Mountains in the summer of 2023 to survey wildlife, according to a study published Aug. 5 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys. They suspected the slopes had an “overlooked diversity” of salamanders.
During the expedition, researchers found several unfamiliar-looking salamanders in a pool of water, the study said. Intrigued, they captured the animals and, after taking a closer look, realized they’d discovered a new species: Hypselotriton huanggangensis, or the Huanggangshan fire-bellied newt.
Huanggangshan fire-bellied newts are considered “small,” reaching about 3.5 inches in length, the study said. They have “slender” bodies with a “rough” texture. Their heads are “oval”-shaped and their eyes are surrounded by “white warty glands.”
Photos show the unique coloring of the new species. Seen from above, the newt has a dull brown body with black blotches. But underneath, its throat, stomach and tail are “bright orange” with black patches.
Huanggangshan fire-bellied newts were found in a waterhole surrounded by shrubbery at an elevation of about 275 feet, the study said. The site did not get “direct sunlight.”
Researchers said they named the new species after the Huanggangshan Mountains where it was discovered and, so far, the only area where it has been found. These mountains are in Jiangxi Province of eastern China and a roughly 1,000-mile drive south of Beijing.
The new species was identified by its coloring, body shape and size, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 2% genetic divergence from related newt species.
The research team included Zhihao Jiang, Song Huang, Qiangyong Fan, Lin Cheng, Yanan Gong, Zhangbo Cui, Tierui Zhang, Wenjun Lan, Zhian Zou, Xuanzhi Huang, Jean Raffaëlli and Jinmin Chen.
This story was originally published August 5, 2024 at 11:56 AM with the headline "‘Fire-bellied’ creature found in waterhole on mountain in China. It’s a new species."
