A new species of orchid, frog and cicada have recently been discovered in Vietnam. The new find was made through the joint efforts of Vietnamese and foreign scientists who uncovered the flower and animals in Ninh Thuan, Kon Tum and Lao Cai, respectively.
The new species of orchid is called Aerides phongii, named after its founder Mr. Nguyen Phong. It’s the eighth species of orchid of the genus Aerides sp found in Vietnam and the 12th in the world. It can be found in dry, virgin evergreen forests at a high altitude of between 50-150 meters above sea level.
The new frog species found was of a flying frog and named Gracixalus lamarius hemp. It was discovered in the Central Highlands of Kon Tum between July 2009 and April 2010 during a study conducted in the Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve.
The new species of cicada uncovered was another interesting find since aside from the fact that there are only four of its kind recognized all over the world, it is the first ever discovered and recorded in Vietnam. Karenia hoanglienensis Pham and Yang was found in 2012 in the Northern Lao Cai Province, a mountainous area in Vietnam. The newly-discovered insect was named as such in honor of the location where samples of the species were collected, specifically in Hoang Lien National Park.
To still discover new species of flora and fauna amid this seemingly ultimately advanced world makes us realize that the world is indeed a very big place and there is still so much to unlock and learn no matter how highly knowledgeable we may think we already are. Perhaps more importantly, it reminds us of the endless beauty and mystery of our world and how much we should appreciate and take care of it.
Photo by http://www.vncreatures.net/event033.php