61 episodes
New Species New Species Podcast
-
- Science
-
-
4.5 • 14 Ratings
-
Just a fraction of the species on our planet are known to science, but more are described and published every day. This podcast talks to the authors of these new species to get the behind-the-scenes stories of how new species are found and named, as well as why these discoveries should matter to everyone, not just scientists. Join us on our journey to better understand the wonderful biodiversity of our planet!
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies), and support the podcast at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod
-
Three New Argyresthia Moths with Jacob Gorneau
Have you ever seen a series of fine squiggles in a leaf? Those might be leaf-mining moths in the genus Argyresthia. These tiny moths are closely linked with many agricultural crops, but factors including sampling bias and their small size mean we don’t know as much about them as we’d like. Jacob Gorneau and his team examined material from Guatemala and described three new species.
An insect-lover from childhood, Jacob has always been fascinated by moths, and these Argyresthia moths are no exception. They’re a small group both in number (with only 200 species) and in size (approximately 1/8th of an inch or smaller), but there’s a lot to learn about them, especially in relation to their host plants. Listen in as Jacob tells us all about his work, his future plans, and why we should care about these tiny animals.
Jacob Gorneau’s paper “Three new species of the genus Argyresthia Hübner, [1825] from Guatemala, with notes on host plant evolution and Nearctic taxa (Lepidoptera: Argyresthiidae)” is in Volume 51 Issue 201 of SHILAP Revista de lepidopterología.
It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.57065/shilap.444
Another of Jacob’s papers mentioned in this episode - Measuring What We Don't Know: Biodiversity Catalogs Reveal Bias in Taxonomic Effort: https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac116
Take a look at Jacob’s website for spiders, scorpions, and more! https://jacobgorneau.github.io/
Jacob is also part of National Moth Week: https://nationalmothweek.org/
You can follow him on twitter: @jacobgorneau
Or instagram: @fortheloveofleps
New Species: Argyresthia quetzaltenangonella, Argyresthia guatemala, Argyresthia iridescentia
Episode image courtesy of Jacob Gorneau
A transcript of this episode can be found here: Jacob Gorneau - Transcript
Check out our website: www.newspeciespodcast.net
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to support this podcast, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod -
What’s in a Spider Name with Stefano Mammola
When a scientist comes on the podcast, we always ask them how they named their new species. It’s a privilege that comes with a species description, and we’ve seen firsthand how different that answer can be. For some it’s a straightforward geographic name, for others it’s about morphology, and still others name after collectors, celebrities, or loved ones. Dr. Stefano Mammola wants to know why.
Beginning in 2020 he and a team of researchers from all over the world analyzed 48,464 etymologies across nearly 300 years to examine naming trends in spider taxonomy to answer the question, “what’s in a spider name?” They cite many different projects (including this podcast!) and, as Stefano shares in this interview, come across some real surprises along the way.
Stefano Mammola’s paper “Taxonomic practice, creativity, and fashion: What’s in a spider name?” is in the February 13th issue of the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac097
A transcript of this conversation can be found here: Transcript - Stefano Mammola
Episode image courtesy of Stefano Mammola
Check out Stefano’s website: https://publications.cnr.it/authors/stefano.mammola
And his twitter: @stefanomammola1
Check out this data and more on the World Spider Catalog
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies) and Instagram (@NewSpeciesPodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to support this podcast, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod -
A New Bat with Amanda Grunwald
Amanda Grunwald is fascinated by arthropods, by reptiles, pretty much anything that creeps or crawls. But what about the creatures that fly? Here we dive into her work on bats in the genus Pseudoromicia, simple-nosed bats that are relatively less known. She takes us from the mountains of Cameroon to a genetics lab in Chicago, and we discuss what responsible science looks like and why it’s important.
A review of bats of the genus Pseudoromicia (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) with the description of a new species” is in volume 21 issue 1 of Systematics and Biodiversity.
It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1080/14772000.2022.2156002
Or open access here: http://ir-library.mmarau.ac.ke:8080/bitstream/handle/123456789/13562/A%20review%20of%20bats%20of%20the%20genus%20Pseudoromicia.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
A transcript of this episode can be found here: Amanda Grunwald - Transcript
New Species: Pseudoromicia mbamminkom
Episode art courtesy of Amanda Grunwald
To learn more about Amanda’s work, check out: batcon.org
Further reading on the topic of a more ethical taxonomic practice: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-021-01460-w
Researchers mentioned in this episode: Dr. Eric Bakwo Fils, Dr. Patrick Atagana, and Frank Mayo https://www.researchgate.net/lab/Bakwo-Fils-Eric-Moise-Lab
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies), Instagram (@newspeciespodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to support this podcast, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod -
Seven New Sea Slugs with Ángel Valdéz
Dr. Ángel Valdés has known since childhood that he would study sea slugs, and several years ago that dream took him to New Caledonia to work with a large international research team. While divers and other collectors swept the shoreline and beyond for marine life, Ángel diligently photographed every sea slug, including some unexpected finds. Were those hours worth it? Definitely, in part because he and his team have described seven new species of Nudibranchs, in the family Discodorididae.
Nudibranchs, also known as sea slugs, are found all over the world. But what’s so special about these “cryptic” New Caledonian species, and what might they have to do with curing rare diseases? Learn all of this and more on this episode of New Species Podcast.
Ángel Valdés’ paper “Seven new “cryptic” species of Discodorididae (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia) from New Caledonia” is in the March 7th issue of Zookeys.
It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1152.98258
New Species: Atagema kimberlyae, Atagema sobanovae, Jorunna daoulasi, Jorunna hervei, Rostanga poddubetskaiae, Sclerodoris faninozi, Sclerodoris dutertrei
Episode image courtesy of Ángel Valdés
Visit Ángel’s website: https://www.cpp.edu/faculty/aavaldes/index.shtml
A transcript of this episode can be found here: Ángel Valdés - Transcript
Check out our website: www.newspeciespodcast.net
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to support this podcast, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod -
Una Araña Trampilla Nueva con Cristian Pertegal
Muy a menudo, los científicos que entrevistamos en el podcast hablan inglés como su segundo, tercer o cuarto idioma. Y muchos de los oyentes también son multilingües. Me parece muy importante hacer que estas entrevistas sean accesibles en los idiomas que hablan los científicos, y estoy muy agradecida de que me hayan ayudado a grabar este episodio y espero hacer más de lo mismo en el futuro.
This episode is a Spanish translation of our previous interview with Cristian Pertegal. To listen to this conversation in English, please refer to the episode published April 4th, 2023.
Las arañas de trampilla son un misterio relativo para los aracnólogos: son un grupo pequeño que no es muy conocido a pesar de su coloración a menudo audaz y sus madrigueras únicas. Pero para Cristian Pertegal son una pasión y una fascinación, aunque en ocasiones también son un dolor literal. Escuche mientras Cristian comparte su amor por estas arañas, su morfología única, sus fascinantes trampillas y lo que pueden decirnos sobre nuestro mundo.
publicación de Cristian “Descripción de una nueva especie de araña trampera del sur de España, y nueva información sobre Nemesia uncinata (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Nemesiidae)” es en el volumen 64, número 1 de Arachnology Letters.
Se puede encontrar aquí: https://doi.org/10.30963/aramit6401
Una transcripción de este episodio se puede encontrar aquí: Cristian Pertegal - Transcript
Imagen del episodio cortesía de Cristian Pertegal
Encontrar Cristian en instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristianpertegal/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nemesidae.nemesia.7/
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cristian-Pertegal
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/entomologiaasturias
Asegúrese de seguir a New Species en (@PodcastSpecies), Instagram (@newspeciespodcast) y dale me gusta a la página del podcast en Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Visita el sitio web: https://www.newspeciespodcast.net
Para obtener contenido adicional, suscríbase al podcast en Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod
La música en este podcast es "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
Si tiene preguntas o comentarios sobre este podcast, envíenos un email a: NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com -
A New Horseshoe Bat with Michael Curran
Where there is a unique ecosystem to be studied, for example, a patch of tropical evergreen forest 1,000 meters up a mountain, sometimes it’s best to be pushy. Michael Curran had done his master’s research in altitudinal patterns and species richness in rural Mozambique, and when he heard about an expedition back to the area, he wrote to the researcher in charge and asked them to let him come along and catch a few bats. That risk certainly paid off, because he and his coauthors have now described a brand new species of Rhinolophid, or horseshoe bat.
Bats are mysterious creatures of mind-boggling diversity and beauty, and ecosystems like Mount Namuli hold just as much of both. Learn about all of this and more as Michael takes us on his journey of collection and description, and discover the unique story these bats have to tell.
Michael Curran’s paper “A new species of horseshoe bat (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) from Mount Namuli, Mozambique” is in Volume 24, Issue 1 of Acta Chiropterologica.
It can be found here: https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2022.24.1.002
A transcript of this episode can be found here: Michael Curran - Transcript
Listen to this episode on our website: www.newspeciespodcast.net
New Species: Rhinolophus namuli
Episode image courtesy of Michael Curran
See some more amazing photos of bats from Michael and his team: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/rare-african-bats
Check out Michael’s website: https://www.fibl.org/en/about-us/team/curran-michael
Be sure to follow New Species on Twitter (@PodcastSpecies), Instagram (@newspeciespodcast) and like the podcast page on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NewSpeciesPodcast)
Music in this podcast is "No More (Instrumental)," by HaTom (https://fanlink.to/HaTom)
If you have questions or feedback about this podcast, please e-mail us at NewSpeciesPodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to support this podcast, please consider doing so at https://www.patreon.com/NewSpeciesPod
Customer Reviews
Awesome
I love learning about new topics that I’m not initially familiar with and this podcast keeps it extremely interesting!
Please invest in some better mics and make the show less scripted
As a taxonomist and phylogeneticist, I want to love this show. But after so many episodes I would’ve thought that the hosts would’ve invested in some better recording equipment. The hosts always have a weird echo, and the guests (probably recording from just a zoom recording with their internal computer mic) sound so muffled it’s almost impossible to understand them. It’s so bad sometimes I end up shutting off the episode because I can’t understand a single thing that’s being said. Not only that, but while some of the conversations are conversational, others feel like I’m listening to a rehearsed research talk at lunch seminar … which …is dry and often boring. If you want this podcast to grow and to be listened to by a wider audience, I think you really need to: 1. Get better equipment, 2. learn to edit better (there are plenty of podcast editing/sound design classes on linked in and YouTube), and, 3. maybe take notes from other popular science podcasts. 4. loosen up. Stop reading from a script.
If you love Science Friday, you should subscribe
This show is awesome, I was not disappointed. They are ready to go, sound is great, host and guests are fantastic