[Biology] Two Endemic Scleractinia Species in Taiwan Discovered

[Biology] Two Endemic Scleractinia Species in Taiwan Discovered (Chinese Version)

RTI (2012/04/06) Academia Sinica's Biodiversity Research Center announced an exhilarating news on April 6 that after spending twenty years on the investigation, Research Fellow Chaolun Allen CHEN had identified and confirmed two endemic species of stony corals (Scleractinia) in Taiwan. On the same day, these two species were officially named “Pseudosiderastrea formosa” and “Polycyanthus chiashanensis,” and these findings had also attracted high attention of the international scholastic communities on coral studies.

CHEN indicated, the discovery of these two species is highly significant to Taiwan's biological studies. Pseudosiderastrea formosa is observed only in three areas: Chi-hui and Lan-yu (Orchid Island) in Taitung and Kenting. It is the second officially named pseudosiderastrea in the world, while the first discovery and naming of Pseudosiderastrea in 1935 was already 77 years ago. Polycyanthus chiashanensis is also significant, for it is the species that inhabits the most shallow waters among the other described Polycyanthus and it is only found in Chai-shan in Kaohsiung. The discovery has been published in Zoological Studies and attracted a lot of international attention among the coral investigators.

Besides of the excitement about the new discovery of the endemic species, conservation groups raise worries about it as well. Taiwan Environmental Information Center said, the habitats where these stony corals were found were facing issues of coastal development. The groups urged the government to submit application to International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and include them in the red list of endangered species. They also urged Council of Agriculture to include them in the list of Taiwan's First Level Protected Animal.


Further Information:
RTI 2012/04/06 (Chinese)
Taiwan Environmental Information Center 2012/04/06 (Chinese)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Science Council International Cooperation Sci-Tech Newsbrief
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



(編輯記錄)